An impact on European politics
The second round of the legislative elections in France, which will take place this Sunday, will mark a before and after in European politics. The victory of Marine Le Pen’s National Group in the first round was already a significant impact. Numerous polls already pointed to this possibility, so it was not a complete surprise. However, beyond the polls, the electoral evolution of the heirs of the National Front in recent years was a relevant indicator to predict this result.
Marine Le Pen’s career
Marine Le Pen, MEP from 2004 to 2017, has had an outstanding political career. In the 2012 presidential election, she placed third behind Hollande and Sarkozy, and in 2017, she placed second behind Macron. In the second round of these presidential elections, she received 34% of the votes. Her electoral growth continued in the 2022 presidential election, where she went from eight million votes in the first round to thirteen million in the second, obtaining more than 41% of the votes.
The Republican Front and Le Pen’s strategy
In the second round of the French presidential election, the losing parties unite against Le Pen, forming a cordon sanitaire known as the Republican Front. However, this strategy has strengthened Marine Le Pen and her National Rally party. While its competitors represent a union with fissures and ideological contradictions, the National Group has managed to consolidate a recognizable and populist identity, critical of globalization, the European Union, NATO, the World Trade Organization and the International Monetary Fund. This position has resonated in other European countries, the United States and Spain, where a rise in the politics of resentment has also been observed.
The importance of political centrality
In this context, it is crucial to reflect on the role of political centrality. The idea that one extreme stabilizes the other has proven to be a failure. With strong political centrality, the extremes suffer, while with weak centrality, the extremes grow. Political centrality must take on the challenge of avoiding ideological complexities and offering a proposal that is free of complexes and efficient. Furthermore, it is essential to maintain confidence in the political system, despite its defects and inefficiencies, to avoid discredit and distrust.
Conclusions
The legislative elections in France represent a turning point in European politics. The victory of Marine Le Pen’s National Rally in the first round and its electoral growth in recent years have generated a significant impact. The Republican Front’s strategy has strengthened Le Pen and her party, while the political centrality must take on the challenge of avoiding ideological complexities and offering a free and efficient proposal. It is essential to maintain confidence in the political system to ensure stability and prevent the growth of extremes.