French in dominant position as ‘bored-out’ voters ready to send message to Macron in election

FRANCE – When the French go to the polls this Sunday, the result will likely reflect an extraordinary move to the right, ruling perhaps the most conservative parliament since the country was liberated in World War II, experts say.

This is due to frustration with immigration, a weak economic system, a cost-of-living emergency, and dissatisfaction with centrist government, especially among young voters.

“Right now, France is seeing its biggest shift to the right,” Matthew Tyrmond, a facilitator of conservative political events and events across Europe, told Fox Information Virtual. “This is democracy at work – people are so mad and won’t take it anymore.”

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“The French people are fed up with their closed-door Paris leadership, who are living on top of the EU while their cities burn, youth unemployment remains high, crime on the rise,” Tyrmond said, stressing on native French. “Racially motivated attacks and violence continue.”

This is the same factor that led to the right-wing National Rally gaining 31.4% of the vote, the largest percentage of any French party in the previous EU elections of this event. That nationwide rally, which was founded in 1972 by Jean-Marie Le Pen, has reinvented itself over the past few years under the leadership of Le Pen’s daughter Marine, and is now aided by the party’s 28-year-old president. , Jordan Burdella.

Unbridled immigration, which totaled more than 320,000 last year, as well as undocumented migrants, has worried many French voters. “It has more to do with instability and violence than with immigrants taking jobs away from the French,” says Leo Barincou, a Paris-based senior economist at Oxford Economics. “You have immigrant-related crimes that make headlines; that’s what’s driving the push to deny immigration.” Some of those incidents included terrorist attacks, assassinations and assaults. “Another issue influencing voters opposed to additional immigration is the associated charges placed on taxpayers for social benefits,” he told Fox News Digital.

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French President Emmanuel Macron speaks in Paris on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. President Emmanuel Macron is addressing French voters for the first time on Wednesday as he calls for snap national elections following his party’s crushing defeat by the far right in the European vote. (AP Photo/Michelle Euler)

The threat of violence may be one of the factors motivating young voters to demand deportation of some immigrants. There is so much passion surrounding the topic that it has inspired some musicians to create a song distributed on social media sites that has become popular among Gen-Z, people aged 11-26. Lyrics include “I won’t shed, of course, you’ll shed. And faster than you think.”

The economy has also not performed well under Emmanuel Macron’s centrist party. The cost-of-living crisis following the attack on Ukraine pushed inflation to 6.3% in February last year and subsequently fell to 2.1% recently. Youth unemployment remains at double digit levels. Additionally, housing construction levels have declined over the past decade, making it more expensive for young people to rent. “When you have a cost-of-living emergency, whoever is in the market will have to bear the cost,” says Constantino Venetis, director of global macro at TS Lombard in London. “Essentially, when you get lawsuits from voters, whoever is willing to get back into power later can get a bonus.”

Jordan Bardella, president of the Rassemblement National (RN) and leader of the electoral list, poses for a selfie with supporters during a campaign rally for the European elections in Montbéliard, eastern France, on March 22, 2024. (Photo by Patrick Hertzog/AFP via Getty Images) (Photo by Patrick Hertzog/AFP via Getty Images)

However, Venetis says France’s economy is certainly no worse than, and perhaps even better than, other major EU countries such as Germany and Italy. “This year is probably the year the economic system will find its footing,” he says, meaning economic growth is set to improve. He says this is likely to be driven by greater government spending, perhaps even at the EU level.

Still, many young voters and those living in rural areas voted overwhelmingly for the National Rally in the EU elections earlier this month, and there is no reason to expect a different result this time. “There are only a few playing fields where long distance was not recognized before,” Barinkou said. He says that places that were not right-leaning included Paris, which fits the long-standing narrative that people who work professional jobs in large urban cities tend to take progressive political stances. Are.

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French riot police use tear gas to disperse protesters during a pro-Palestine rally in Republic Square in Paris, France on October 12, 2023. (Photo by Ibrahim Izzat/Anadolu via Getty Images) (Ibrahim Izzat/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The potential passionate youth vote for a national rally may be driven in part by the youthful Bardella, who not only communicates his views on TikTok but is also slightly older than many in the Gen-Z group. “Not that I’m too surprised that he’s courting more young voters,” says Mark Chandler.CBannockburn Global Forex chief market strategist in New York told Fox News Digital. “I think young families are attracted to former President Barack Obama being one of the youngest American presidents.”

Elias Haddad, a senior market strategist at banking firm Brown Brothers Harriman, told Fox News Digital that if a national rally-led parliament were to take place, France would likely not get a chance to leave the EU or the single-currency eurozone. “If the right-wing comes to power, the dynamics between France and the EU will be a little more challenging, but it will not be an ultimatum for economic union,” he says.

Firefighters extinguish burning vehicles during clashes between protesters and police following the death of Nahel Merzouk in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, France. (Reuters/Stephanie Lecoq)

Meanwhile, Marine Le Pen appears to be plotting a victory, suggesting that Bardella, as prime minister, should be involved in decisions on military defence. While nominally the French President is head of the armed forces, the constitution states, “The top minister is responsible for nationwide security.”

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The French parliamentary system requires two rounds of voting. If a party does not get a simple majority in the first vote, the two parties with subsequent control will compete in a second vote. If necessary, the final will be held on July 7. By Friday, polls suggested a nationwide rally could garner 37% of the vote.

The Related Press contributed to this story.