Politicians have “a share of responsibility” for the increase in violence and racist attacks, says a political scientist

Olivier Rouquan, political scientist and associate researcher at Cersa, invited on franceinfo on Friday, believes that future deputies now have “an ethical imperative” to restore calm.

As racist attacks and acts of violence have been increasing in recent weeks during the early legislative elections, the increase in tensions depicts a new era of unabashed racism in France? Who is responsible? What are the risks after the election? franceinfo interviewed Olivier Rouquan, political scientist and associate researcher at Cersa (Center for Studies and Research in Administrative and Political Sciences).

franceinfo: What do you think of the increasingly regular reports since the European elections of French people who have been victims of racist attacks that are multiplying in the media?

Olivier Rouquan: As a political scientist, I am not going to get into the moral arena, but what we do know is that there is an increase in intentional assault and battery in our society. A continuous increase since 2017. Violence can therefore be symbolic, but we now know that it is also physical. All this is happening in a society where we regularly measure more ideological fractures, but also a level of tension and aggression in daily social relations that is emerging. Obviously, an electoral campaign, because it is a confrontation, can increase the passage to action, it can increase what has just been described and which makes us sad as citizens. And in particular for a whole section of citizens who have had the right to go through a period where the dominant values ​​were values ​​of public debate, moderation, temperance…

“I think that we must nevertheless, beyond general phenomena, attribute a share of responsibility to what political activity has become.”

Olivier Rouquan, political scientist

to franceinfo

Are these politicians, in a certain way, through their behavior, encouraging this violent behavior?

I would say that it is a complex that is made up of social networks, mass media and obviously communicative and political actors. What we call polarization or this cleavage that keeps coming back, what does that mean? It means that there is more and more ideological distance, therefore excess in vocabulary, in speech, sometimes even in gestures, and that, in addition, beyond the distance, there is a decrease in respect for the adversary. And from there, if those in charge regularly indulge in this type of behavior, encouraged in this by certain social networks and certain continuous news channels, obviously, this also frees up what is happening on the side of the activists.

Prisca Thévenot, the government spokesperson and her entourage, were attacked during a poster-posting. An RN candidate was also attacked in Savoie… Do you attribute this directly to political speech, to the fact that politicians are excessive and that therefore it opens the door to all kinds of excesses?

There are a whole series of factors, but we must not exonerate the actors from some of the responsibility. I previously indicated the fact that violence has increased in societies, in social relations. Elected officials have been victims of increasing attacks for several years: +32% two years ago, +15% last year, while the law has been toughened and the law punishes these attacks against elected officials very severely. So we can clearly see that there are a whole series of factors, but that there is almost a return sometimes to the climate of the 1930s. Let us recall that in our long history, there have been several periods when political life was marked by an exchange of blows that were sometimes physical and by completely discriminatory speeches. In the 1960s and 1970s, the Gaullists and the Communists often moved, during election campaigns, to very violent confrontations. And then, in the 80s, let’s not forget that when the FN arrived in politics and achieved its first results, there were racist speeches and clashes between activists on the ground, particularly in the southern Mediterranean.

How can we politically respond to this increase in violence? Is there a solution that could emerge after these legislative elections to try to stem this phenomenon?

Let’s say that beyond sanctions, there is the question of returning to reason in the public debate. I think that calls for temperance and pedagogy also involve teaching at school or in professional training.

“The way in which one can debate in a democratic country in a reasoned and temperate manner, the sense of negotiation, must regain priority over this excitement, this desire to always dramatize everything.”

Olivier Rouquan

to franceinfo

Do you think that, given the political situation that is emerging with three blocs in the Assembly, this peaceful dialogue can be reborn?

There is one issue that will have to be resolved: that of the governability of the country. And this will lead political actors to negotiate, to find common ground. It is an ethical imperative that is posed both to political personnel, but to the entire population. We must rediscover a certain culture, the one that dominated in the 80s and 90s, and which had been brought about by, in particular, the major political leaders.