In France, right-wing maverick's young supporters campaign to cheers and
jeers
Send a link to a friend
[October 14, 2021]
By Elizabeth Pineau
PARIS (Reuters) - Armed with buckets of
glue and brooms, Anne-Lys Falicon and a dozen others put down their
drinks and walked out into the night to put up posters of Eric Zemmour,
the political outsider with incendiary views who is shaking up France's
2022 election race.
Falicon, a fashion student, never before identified with a political
party, while the others plastering Zemmour's portrait in a well-heeled
Paris district included former supporters of the long-standing far-right
and conservative parties.
"He's never been elected, he's not part of the political system," the
23-year-old Falicon said. "He brings a new perspective. His life is not
all politics."
A polarising figure who has made a TV and writing career testing the
boundaries of political correctness, Zemmour accuses the political class
of allowing a steady erosion of traditional Christian values and
national identity in France.
Born in Paris to Jewish Algerians who emigrated to metropolitan France
in the 1950s, Zemmour points to himself as an example of how France once
successfully assimilated its migrant population. Now, he says, waves of
immigrants have been allowed to loathe France and push back against its
core values.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2021/Oct/14/images/ads/current/christianvillage_sda_SPONSOR_042720.png)
His uncompromising rhetoric - he has twice been convicted of inciting
hate - resonate with some voters and repel others.
"What shame!" shouted a passing motorist as the young activists affixed
"Zemmour - President" posters to walls and concrete street barriers.
Another motorist gave an approving toot of their horn, crying out:
"France for the French!"
The activists were quick to try and detoxify the passing comment.
"There is a difference between 'France should remain France' and 'France
for the French'," said Foucaud, who like most of the other Zemmour
supporters gave his first name only.
"'France for the French' doesn't mean anything. What counts is that
people assimilate," said Emmanuel.
[to top of second column]
|
![](../images/101421pics/news_x47.jpg)
A woman walks past posters in support of French far-right
commentator Eric Zemmour, probable candidate for the French
presidential election next April, posted on a wall in Paris, France,
October 13, 2021. The slogan reads "Zemmour President".
REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier
![](../images/ads/current/centraldirect_lda_SPONSOR_2021.png)
Some of the activists said there was an "immigration
problem" in France but avoided talk about Muslims in particular who
have been frequently targeted by Zemmour's verbal volleys.
Zemmour, 63, has not yet officially declared his candidacy for the
2022 race but is behaving every bit the candidate.
Polls show him challenging for a place in the second round run-off,
poaching votes from both Marine Le Pen's far-right Rassemblement
National party and conservative fringes of the mainstream right.
The dozen young people said they were part of a now 3,000-strong
troop of young Zemmour activists who dub themselves 'Generation Z'.
They describe themselves as radical but not extremist, backing a man
who wanted to get to the root of France's perceived ills.
"Zemmour speaks often about insecurity, it's a big topic. He has the
courage to speak openly about it, without mincing his words. That
touches me especially as a woman...We don't talk enough about
insecurity in France," said Falicon.
A man passing through the neighbourhood the next morning said:
"Everyone's free to their own opinions. Thankfully, sometimes,
adverts get plastered on his campaign slogans."
(Reporting by Elizabeth Pineau and Noemie Olive; writing by Richard
Lough; editing by Mark Heinrich)
[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2021/Oct/14/images/ads/current/LPL_small%201.gif) |