Alain Finkielkraut: “I Never Imagined I Would Vote for National Rally to Block Antisemitism”
In a recent interview with Le Point, renowned philosopher Alain Finkielkraut shared his grave concerns: “I Never Imagined I Would Vote for National Rally to Block Antisemitism”. He should his worries about the current state of Jewish life in France. He described the situation as “heart-wrenching,” reacting to the recent performance of Renaissance, the party of French President Emmanuel Macron, in the European elections held on July 9th. He also discussed the upcoming elections, the first round of which is scheduled for June 30th.
Finkielkraut noted, “As the Republicans rejected their advances, Emmanuel Macron perhaps had no other choice but to dissolve the National Assembly. The country, had things continued as they were, would have become ungovernable.”
The philosopher also commented on the success of National Rally, the party led by Jordan Bardella and Marine Le Pen, arguing that excluding this party from the “republican arc” is “absurd.” He criticized the perpetual demonization of the party, stating, “We cannot eternally play the brown plague card nor stigmatize the existential anxiety of a majority of French people faced with migratory pressure. Following the Danish model, all parties should work to defend the right to historical continuity and restore border control.”
Finkielkraut also targeted France Insoumise, led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, accusing the party of basing its entire European campaign on “hatred of Israel and Zionists.” He recalled that one of its deputies, Aymeric Caron, even claimed that Jews “do not belong to the same human species.”
Given this context, Finkielkraut expressed understanding for why some French citizens might choose to support National Rally as a means to counter antisemitism. He admitted, “I never imagined that one day I would vote for National Rally to block antisemitism. It hasn’t come to that yet, but I might be forced to do so sooner or later if there’s no other option. It would be a nightmare. The current situation is heart-wrenching for French Jews.”
Alain Finkielkraut’s remarks highlight the complex and troubling dynamics within French politics today, especially regarding the rise of National Rally and the ongoing struggle against antisemitism. As France prepares for its upcoming elections, the philosopher’s reflections provide a poignant commentary on the challenging decisions facing French voters.
