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Why Fascism Is on the Rise in France: From Macron to Le Pen
Recent polls have indicated for the first time that a far-right candidate could win the French presidential election in 2027. Reactionary and racist ideologues increasingly sully the French media. Assaults by fascist groups are on the rise as they grow in size and confidence. How did this happen in a country once so proud of its revolutionary past?
Writer and academic Ugo Palheta shows that the fascist threat is rooted in the triple radicalization - neoliberal, authoritarian and racist - of the French ruling class. Unable to win majority support for the self-interested policies represented by Emmanuel Macron, this class has sought support by adopting more radical right-wing positions. Palheta argues for a renaissance of anti-fascism to inspire resistance to the far right and the triple threat encouraging its rise.
Why Fascism Is on the Rise in France has repositioned the question of fascism to place it at the centre of intellectual debate in France.
Writer and academic Ugo Palheta shows that the fascist threat is rooted in the triple radicalization - neoliberal, authoritarian and racist - of the French ruling class. Unable to win majority support for the self-interested policies represented by Emmanuel Macron, this class has sought support by adopting more radical right-wing positions. Palheta argues for a renaissance of anti-fascism to inspire resistance to the far right and the triple threat encouraging its rise.
Why Fascism Is on the Rise in France has repositioned the question of fascism to place it at the centre of intellectual debate in France.
- GenresPoliticsNonfiction
256 pages, Paperback
First published September 13, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 19, 2026
While I learned interesting things, the storyline is all over the place. The author is trying to come to the issue from different perspectives, but it feels chaotic and unstructured. It feels more like an outlet where he can rant and not a book. In addition, all the topics overlap, so that the author has to repeat himself often.
Given the author's radical left background, I should have probably not been so surprised at the lack of neutrality exhibited throughout the book.
But first, a few points I took away:
- while the current movement in France does not call itself "fascist", there are strong arguments to do so. Fascism is not the same as anti-semitism, it is the discrimination of certain groups and the contrast and benevolence towards the "true" people of the nation. And the RN/FN is doing that through its Islamophobia and discrimination against non-European immigrants. The discussion on this point felt WAY too long and too theoretical.
- France's political system is going through a crisis in general. Laws are often passed outside of parliament, and many situations are used as excuses to impose an "extraordinary" state and bypass government even more.
- Politicians are not standing up (or counteracting) neoliberalism sufficiently, even reducing social security, resulting in a weakening of their following in the working class. The rising inequality of course does not help things.
- On the other hand, government is overreacting in term of immigration, exhibited by increase police violence and rising number of imprisonment (which are of course largely consisting of non-european migrants)
- The political center carries part of the blame by either actively supporting the FN (considering them a beneficial ally or wanting to split the right) or incorporating their ideas in their own programmes. This made Islamophobia and racism socially acceptable somehow.
- The FN made an about turn in their views, going from pro-neoliberalism to left views when it comes to economy (previously pro privatization and EU, now against). These days RN is often shifting views depending on which electorate they want to target.
The reason I am saying that the author is not neutral is that he does not address or acknowledge the underlying issues that led to a rise of islamophobia. The fact that certain neighbourhoods in France do not feel safe anymore, the terrorist attacks that - yes, also were used as an excuse for increased and maybe overly harsh security - did anchor into public consciousness, as well as the demographic trends that force the hand of not only the French, but also other European governments.
Quantitative data indicating that there might be an issue: the number of immigrants increasing steadily, with a higher percentage of migrants coming from Africa (https://www.insee.fr/en/statistiques/...). Similarly, islam is the fastest growing religion (if you discount "no religion" as a religion. I am not saying that this is a bad thing, but this could be a reason why people feel threatened just because there are more muslims, as opposed to "fancy" political reasons (which people feel more and more distant to anyways).
He also keeps saying fasicism is not FN, but then fails to outline other material symptoms of the rise of fascism in France (other than survey results).
Given the author's radical left background, I should have probably not been so surprised at the lack of neutrality exhibited throughout the book.
But first, a few points I took away:
- while the current movement in France does not call itself "fascist", there are strong arguments to do so. Fascism is not the same as anti-semitism, it is the discrimination of certain groups and the contrast and benevolence towards the "true" people of the nation. And the RN/FN is doing that through its Islamophobia and discrimination against non-European immigrants. The discussion on this point felt WAY too long and too theoretical.
- France's political system is going through a crisis in general. Laws are often passed outside of parliament, and many situations are used as excuses to impose an "extraordinary" state and bypass government even more.
- Politicians are not standing up (or counteracting) neoliberalism sufficiently, even reducing social security, resulting in a weakening of their following in the working class. The rising inequality of course does not help things.
- On the other hand, government is overreacting in term of immigration, exhibited by increase police violence and rising number of imprisonment (which are of course largely consisting of non-european migrants)
- The political center carries part of the blame by either actively supporting the FN (considering them a beneficial ally or wanting to split the right) or incorporating their ideas in their own programmes. This made Islamophobia and racism socially acceptable somehow.
- The FN made an about turn in their views, going from pro-neoliberalism to left views when it comes to economy (previously pro privatization and EU, now against). These days RN is often shifting views depending on which electorate they want to target.
The reason I am saying that the author is not neutral is that he does not address or acknowledge the underlying issues that led to a rise of islamophobia. The fact that certain neighbourhoods in France do not feel safe anymore, the terrorist attacks that - yes, also were used as an excuse for increased and maybe overly harsh security - did anchor into public consciousness, as well as the demographic trends that force the hand of not only the French, but also other European governments.
Quantitative data indicating that there might be an issue: the number of immigrants increasing steadily, with a higher percentage of migrants coming from Africa (https://www.insee.fr/en/statistiques/...). Similarly, islam is the fastest growing religion (if you discount "no religion" as a religion. I am not saying that this is a bad thing, but this could be a reason why people feel threatened just because there are more muslims, as opposed to "fancy" political reasons (which people feel more and more distant to anyways).
He also keeps saying fasicism is not FN, but then fails to outline other material symptoms of the rise of fascism in France (other than survey results).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2020
A Marxist priest doing his provincial sermon. Unoriginal, unremarkable, probably just an excuse for him to get to a higher pay echelon because he likes living off the taxes paid by the poor and the workers.
September 10, 2024
Il manque une mise à jour à cette analyse complète mais arrêtée en 2018 !
December 27, 2025
hate to see it
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews