in France as elsewhere, populist parties are surfing on eco-skepticism to improve their popularity

If the reduction of fossil fuels is an environmental necessity, it also arouses a certain form of hostility among part of the electorate. Populist parties, opposed to restrictive climate measures, are trying to take advantage of them.

Cop 28 opened Thursday, November 30 in Dubai with one objective on the menu: reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. There is an urgent need to get rid of them, it is an environmental obviousness as they emit greenhouse gases. It is a technological, economic, and even cultural challenge given our dependence even in our daily lives. However, in Europe beyond, we are currently observing in many developed countries the progression of the same feeling of eco-scepticism.

Growing hostility to any restrictive measure aimed at limiting the use of fossil fuels, particularly those targeting fuels. A discontent which delights the populist parties. Thus, in Italy and the Netherlands, the far right won the elections without putting forward any proposals to fight global warming. In Germany, the ruling left-wing coalition has been sinking into crisis since Green Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck passed a law requiring new boilers to operate at least two-thirds with renewable energy. Without forgetting, further away from us, the victory of Javier Milei in Argentina or the specter of Donald Trump’s return to power in the United States. EDITORIAL.

Discontent as fuel

In France, the same phenomenon is at work. It is enough to observe the increase in the popularity rating of Marine Le Pen and that of the voting intentions of the RN list led by Jordan Bardella for the European elections. However, if there is one subject on which the far right does not propose anything, it is the fight against climate change. Or rather yes, the RN only proposes measures which would worsen the situation and reinforce our dependence on fossil fuels: the dismantling of wind turbines, a moratorium on renewable energies, a massive reduction in taxes on gasoline, the abolition of ZFEs, low emission zones, or even the extension of the rental of thermal strainers.

The government’s room for maneuver is narrow. Here he is stuck between the demagoguery of the extreme right, which seeks for example to stir up the discontent of motorists, particularly in rural and peri-urban France where the car is still largely essential, and the impatience of environmental activists, especially younger generations, who are demanding more radical measures. In this context, we understand that getting away from fossil fuels is not only a challenge for our lifestyles, it is also a hell of a test, one more, for our democracy.