Bracing Up for Change in France?

By Nita Chicooree-Mercier

It is widely acknowledged that the primary aim of politicians is to secure electoral victories and consolidate power for themselves and their parties. Consequently, informed electorates approach politicians’ promises with caution when seeking solutions to pressing issues. Concepts such as democracy, fundamental freedoms, and human rights often come under scrutiny, particularly when mainstream political parties face electoral challenges in Western democracies. Partisan media outlets exacerbate these tensions by amplifying false polarizations, using buzzwords like populism, fascism, and racism to vilify opponents. This tendency heightens societal divisions during election cycles, and politics becomes the most divisive factor in society during election periods.

It is incumbent upon the public to cultivate a critical mindset through well-documented sources and numerous online news channels that can unveil hidden information due to censorship and provide deeper insights into current issues. Partisan media must strive for intellectual honesty in their expressions rather than resorting to sensational headlines and scare tactics to sway public opinion. Otherwise, recycled partisan stances from publications like The New York Times will continue to influence media across Europe, compelling smaller countries like Mauritius to echo what French some newspapers translate from NYT and Courrier International.

How can we discern genuine concerns from what is often dismissed as “far-right” rhetoric in today’s Western context? For decades, politicians have invoked the spectre of fascism associated with far-right parties to dissuade voters and maintain their seats in national assemblies. Is today’s far-right comparable to nationalist movements in the 1930s? The Nazis originated from the National Socialist German Workers’ Party, a leftist entity. In Italy, Georgia Meloni, Mussolini’s granddaughter, leads her country but faces constraints due to financial aid from the European Union, restricting her party’s policy implementation on migration. Similarly, Marine Le Pen of the National Rally (“Rassemblement national”) may encounter similar obstacles if her party triumphs in the upcoming election.

How polarized are the two parties in the runoff election on July 7th? Both the leftist New Popular Front (“Nouveau Front Populaire”) and the National Rally will likely turn to the International Monetary Fund for substantial loans to execute their economic policies, as indicated by experts. The former plans to heavily tax the affluent to bolster state coffers, lower the retirement age, and increase minimum wages. Similarly, the latter promises to reduce the retirement age to 60 while decreasing taxes for private enterprises and the wealthy, alongside raising minimum wages for lower income brackets. Such policies may seem impractical, given the lack of clear strategies for industrial revitalization, economic growth, and wealth generation. Nevertheless, a significant portion of the electorate is willing to experiment with new governance in France, having perceived shortcomings in previous administrations.

Both the NPF and National Rally resent US intervention in EU policymaking and its role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. France Unbowed (“La France Insoumise”), a prominent leftist party, has gradually adopted a politically correct stance, criticizing Russia’s imperialist ambitions. However, they diverge on issues like the Israel-Gaza conflict, with NPF’s stance designed to appease its migrant voter base. Labelling any dissent as Nazi fascism seems increasingly absurd, with recent polls indicating that 90% of French Jews intend to vote for the National Rally, despite being targets of recent attacks. France Unbowed, while projecting a resilient image, has been accused of stoking communal tensions to maintain support among its migrant voter base.

The National Rally is adamant about tightening controls on migration from North African and Middle Eastern nations, positioning itself as a new ideological front against antisemitism in the West. Marine Le Pen’s efforts over the past decade have notably rehabilitated her party’s image. Predictably, the far-left faction within the NPF alliance proposes disarming policemen and reducing their presence in certain volatile areas, whereas the National Rally pledges greater police empowerment to maintain law and order. The act of displaying one’s national flag remains contentious in the West, often attracting labels like nationalist or fascist. Conversely, waving foreign flags in Saturday protests is tolerated. By this logic, Mauritians waving their national flag on Independence Day or during inter-island sports events could be misconstrued as dangerous far-right nationalists.

What threats exist to fundamental freedoms in France? Voices in foreign and Mauritian press express concern. Whose freedoms are they worried about? Instances of physical assaults, petty crimes, knife attacks, and sexual offenses committed by migrants are on the rise in the UK and various European nations, endangering the freedom of citizens to move safely in urban and suburban areas. In some parts of France with high migrant populations, women face restrictions on wearing certain attire and moving freely, while young men with white skin may be targeted arbitrarily.

Education, judiciary, and media are heavily influenced by Marxist ideologies that foster divisions and pit groups against each other. Teachers face constraints in teaching certain topics to 13-year-olds for fear of repercussions. Esteemed professors are barred from addressing university students in the US and UK if their views do not align with prevailing leftist agendas dominating academia for decades. Universities risk becoming centres of indoctrination, where dissenting intellectuals require police escorts for safety. Jewish students in the UK gauge universities’ levels of antisemitism before applying, citing the influence of radical ideologies imported and supported by native leftists.

Publicly funded media channels provide minimal coverage to far-right politicians or any new party advocating EU withdrawal. Marine Le Pen proposes privatizing public media, prompting threats of strikes from magistrates aligned with leftist biases. Senior civil servants threaten non-cooperation in case of a National Rally victory, underscoring decades-long institutional decay.

A sweeping change may be necessary to restore public confidence in institutions. However, the National Rally’s softened rhetoric on certain issues may not present the most effective alternative for genuine transformation. The centrist President’s coalition aligns with leftist factions to withdraw candidacies, aiming to prevent a National Rally victory and potential right-wing coalitions. False polarizations, imagined adversaries, and impending crises amount to a familiar tactic of infantilizing the public. The extent of public awareness regarding the high stakes in this competitive election remains uncertain.

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 5 July 2024