Author: Louise Couvelaire
The French prime minister’s office broke tradition by not attending the presentation of the annual report on the fight against racism, anti-Semitism, and xenophobia. The report highlighted a significant 3-point drop in the tolerance index, indicating a worrisome increase in prejudices among the French population. Despite a decrease in biological racism, fueled by demographic shifts and increased education levels, there is a concerning rise in far-right sympathizers who hold racist views. The far-right party’s image has improved, with growing support from French citizens attributing social and economic issues to immigrants. ‘Media and political noise’ The far-right party’s success is linked…
In the aftermath of the European elections, resignation, fatalism, and weariness prevail in French working-class neighborhoods. Despite the dominance of the far-right Rassemblement National candidate, a sense of defeat looms larger than anger or fear. The dissolution of the Assemblée Nationale, while surprising to some, has not sparked panic or widespread mobilization. Read more Subscribers only French elections: The radical left and working-class neighborhoods, a winning strategy? The prevailing sentiment was summed up by Coumba Coulibaly as she stated, “The game is over!” Amidst political turmoil, the launch of the 2024 National Neigborhoods’ Cup served as a moment of joy…
YASMINE GATEAU The European elections revealed the radical left party La France Insoumise’s strategy to increase voter turnout in working-class neighborhoods. In an attempt to attract Parisian suburbs and Muslim citizens, the party placed the Palestinian cause at the forefront of its campaign, led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Manon Aubry. While overall turnout figures are hard to estimate, specific regions showed promising results. In Seine-Saint-Denis, a Paris suburb, voter turnout increased by 4 points compared to the 2019 elections, signaling potential success for LFI’s mobilization efforts. Local activists like Youcef Brakni and Aly Diouara acknowledged the positive response from residents,…