Breathe
By Brenda Estefan
Last Sunday, the French far-right National Rally party managed to obtain for the first time in its history a majority of the votes in the first round of the legislative elections. French President Emmanuel Macron's gamble to dissolve the National Assembly and call early elections after the poor results of his party in the European elections of June 9 failed.
Given France's influence in the European Union, its seat on the United Nations Security Council, its military might and geopolitical influence, the election results have generated great alarm in Europe and the world.
Upgrading of National Grouping
The extreme right-wing party, National Rally (AN), successor of the controversial National Front, has consolidated its position as the leading political force in France. Among the founding members of the party stand out Jean-Marie Le Pen, veteran of the Algerian war and father of Marine Le Pen, and some of the most visible leaders of the French Popular Party, a pro-Nazi organization with strong links to the Waffen-SS. The process of "de-demonization" or improvement of the party's image began with Marine Le Pen, but was consolidated with the arrival as party president of Jordan Bardella, a 28-year-old. However, his proposal remains ultra-nationalist and anti-immigration, questions the regional integration model and focuses on defending national identity. These ideas represent a break with the historical vision of the French Republic.
