Between neo-liberalism and the nation: France’s political landscape in 2022

The French Elections of 2022: Macron's Half Victory in a Changing Political Landscape

“…Whilst it goes beyond the remit of this article to discuss in detail the reasons for these electoral failures, a key, common supply‐side factor is the existence of long‐standing ideological strife within both parties over how to appropriately respond to the multi‐faceted consequences of globalization (Chabal and Behrent, 2022, pp. 523–524).…”

“…The RN has tended to over‐represent younger voters, with lower levels of education and in blue‐collar jobs. In the legislative elections' first round, for instance, 45% of workers chose the RN, along with 28% of those without a high‐school diploma, and 31% who describe themselves as ‘underprivileged’ (Chabal and Behrent, 2022, p. 528). The RN has also done particularly well in the deindustrialized zones of Northern France and the traditionally conservative Mediterranean basin (Chabal et al, 2023, pp.…”

“…This is also a young electorate, with 31% of 18–24‐year‐olds and 34% of 25–34‐year‐olds voting for Jean‐Luc Mélenchon in the first round of the 2022 elections (Ipsos Sopra‐Steria, 2022). Geography and education, however, largely divide the far‐right and far‐left electorates, with 26% of highly educated voter choosing Mélenchon in the presidential elections (Kuhn, 2022, p. 467) and 32% of the highly educated choosing NUPES in the parliamentary elections (Chabal and Behrent, 2022, p. 528). These political forces also have a strong base within larger urban centres such as Paris, Lyon and Marseille (Chabal et al, 2023, pp.…”

“…The absence of a clear majority around any of these three options creates a particularly unstable ground for French politics in the next 4 years. Cross‐bloc coalitions and alliances are essentially unthinkable within this new configuration, with the more radical blocs grounding their identity in an opposition to both Macron's brand of politics and each others' (Chabal and Behrent, 2022, pp. 527–528; Kuhn, 2022).…”

“…RN voters share with LFI supporters a distaste for neoliberalism and the economic implications of globalization, whilst being diametrically opposed to them in their relationship to cultural globalization (Chabal and Behrent, 2022). LFI voters also share some sociological characteristics with their far-right counterparts.…”