Three months before the European elections, in which it is the favorite, the far-right party defends a tailor-made European Union, cut by and for the member states, very far from the “Frexit” that it ardently defended in the past.
“Hope gives life!” For Marie-Jeanne, “Marseillaise of the northern districts”, he also twirls at regular intervals the small tricolor flag that she holds firmly in her hands, in the background of Parc Chanot. Like this retiree, around 8,000 people (according to figures claimed by the National Rally) came to attend the launch of the European election campaign for the National Rally (RN), Sunday March 3, a stone’s throw from the Vélodrome stadium in Marseille.
The meeting is the first of ten meetings planned by the flame party between now and the election on Sunday, June 9, a date repeated over and over again by RN executives. Unlike the question of membership in the European Union (EU), which has almost disappeared from official discourse. “We don’t leave the gaming table when we are winning the game”summarized Jordan Bardella in his forty-minute speech from the podium, while the RN is regularly accused of defending “Frexit”.
Seven years ago, the far-right party supported the idea of a referendum to leave the EU. In 2024, it now favors “the creation of a European alliance of nations which aims to gradually replace the EU”. Thursday, during a press conference, the head of the list presented a “tricolor strategy”with a red, orange or green color depending on the acceptability of the projects carried out on a European scale.
Without using the metaphor of the traffic light, the boss of the RN praised France’s capacity to “to influence the conception of Europe, to conform it to its will, to make it both a lever of power and influence”.
“Leaving Europe is very complicated”
“It’s a good thing to change because leaving Europe is very complicated”greets Sandra, a 38-year-old medical sector employee, who joined at the end of 2023. According to her, “we can transform Europe from within”. Nicolas and Jess, barely 20 years old, approve of the abandonment of any reference to “Frexit”. “People are not ready to separate from the euro, for example. Even members of the RN are not in favor of it”underlines Jess, who “hesitates” again between Marine Le Pen and Eric Zemmour in view of June 9.
A change in European vision as much as an opportunistic tactic, judges Thierry, who says he is attending his first meeting. To hear his supporters, the “pragmatism” and the “reason”constantly highlighted by Jordan Bardella, are now welcome.
“This change in tone was able to free the words and attract people. Marine [Le Pen] can broaden its base, because it’s a bit scary to be against the European Union.”
Thierry, supporter of the National Rallyat franceinfo
“Only fools don’t change their minds.”, sweeps Martine away. This retired law enforcement officer, installed two hours before the speeches of “Marine” And “Jordan”wants above all “clear” a person from her position: Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. The one who is a candidate for his succession in Brussels gave her name to the “vonderleyism” that the RN executives have been attacking for several months.
For supporters of Jordan Bardella, this “vonderleyism” opposes the “sovereignty” which should at all costs be reinstated after the European elections. “IPriority must be given to the nation, based on the economic interests of each individual. Then, we share certain rules, but each country manages with its own rules.tries to explain Eric, “activist for a year and a half”but a voter of the National Front, then of the RN, since he “the right to vote”.
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In their eyes, it does not matter what sanctions could apply if France were to unilaterally derogate from certain EU treaties in the near future, as several experts in European law have pointed out. Martine even sees potential there “blackmail” of which France would be a victim, if it carried out its threats. “As we are under supervision, they scare us about money. That’s how they control us”she says, without precisely defining who this refers to. “they”.
“We know that this will not change after the elections”
But before being able to carry out these colossal projects in Europe, the activists first want to believe in a victory for the allied forces of the RN in other countries. “There is good momentum at the European level, wants to believe Eric, because it’s a mess everywhere.”
“We feel that there are countries that are pushing back, like Spain or Denmark. There is a collective European effect, but to what extent will it materialize?”
Eric, National Rally activistat franceinfo
At Marie-Jeanne, however, “hope” is still measured three months from maturity. “We know that this will not change after the elections, but it would already be a very good thing to win”, she explains. Not far from there, Nicolas and Jess, too, are not necessarily more optimistic about the success of the RN after June 9, even if the good polls, which put the party well in the lead, materialize at the polls. The far-right forces, in the wake of the RN, “will not be the majority in all cases”breathes Jess.
“A very important step before 2027”
It must be said that the RN parliamentary group in the European Parliament, Identity and Democracy (ID), is in competition with European Conservatives and Reformers (CRE), to which Reconquête, Eric Zemmour’s party, is affiliated. Thursday, in an exchange with journalists, Jordan Bardella was talkative about the weight that the RN and its allies will have after June 9: “The possibilities range from no group to a supergroup.”
There was no question of this parliamentary arithmetic in the mouths of the activists and sympathizers met on Sunday at Parc Chanot. Sheltered from the rare Marseille rain, all that mattered was the prospect of June 9. For Thierry, this is“a very important step before 2027”, even if it is far from guaranteeing, for the RN and its supporters, a “big evening” in Europe. For Sandra too, this election is above all “the first stone” with a view to the next presidential election. As an echo of the call launched from the podium by Jordan Bardella, assuring that the Europeans should be the “day 1 of the alternation”.