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GEW Anti-Fascist Briefs (1)
The Front National (FN), renamed Rassemblement National (RN) in 2018, was founded on October 5, 1972. The party was initially established as the National Front for French Unity (*Front national pour l’unité française*), with the aim of uniting various far-right factions in France. The neo-fascist organization Ordre Nouveau (ON) spearheaded the founding, which sought to create a more presentable political structure to contest the 1973 legislative elections.
The first leader of the FN was **Jean-Marie Le Pen**, a former lawmaker and veteran of the Indochina and Algeria wars. Le Pen was chosen for his relatively moderate image compared to other far-right figures at the time, despite his controversial views and statements. Under his leadership, the FN initially struggled in elections, but it gradually gained traction, especially during the economic crises of the 1980s, by capitalizing on anti-immigration sentiments and nationalist rhetoric.
In 2011, Jean-Marie Le Pen’s daughter, Marine Le Pen, took over the party’s leadership. She sought to rebrand and moderate the party’s image, culminating in the FN’s renaming to Rassemblement National in 2018. This rebranding aimed to shed the party’s associations with racism and anti-Semitism and broaden its appeal to a wider electorate.
Ordre Nouveau (ON) was a French neo-fascist organization active from 1969 to 1973. Here are key details about its origins, activities, and influence:
Founding and Leadership
– Founded: December 15, 1969
– Founders: Former members of the far-right group *Occident* and students from the *Groupe Union Défense* (GUD), including notable figures like Alain Robert, François Duprat, and Jean-François Galvaire.
– First President: Jean-François Galvaire, a lawyer who resigned in May 1970.
Ideology and Goals
– Ideology: Neo-fascist, nationalist, and far-right.
– Goals: The organization aimed to establish a fascist state in France, promoting a “new order” in social, economic, and cultural domains. This was reflected in its full name: Centre de recherches et de documentation pour l’avènement d’un ordre nouveau dans les domaines social, économique et culturel.
– Emblem: The Celtic cross, a symbol often associated with far-right movements.
Activities and Tactics
Violence and Confrontation: ON was known for its aggressive activism, including violent clashes with left-wing groups. One notable incident was the violent confrontation with the Ligue Communiste at a meeting titled “Halte à l’immigration sauvage” (Stop Uncontrolled Immigration) on June 21, 1973, which led to the French Interior Minister banning both organizations.
– Publications and Propaganda: ON produced its own periodicals and engaged in extensive propaganda efforts to spread its ideology.
Influence and Legacy
– Creation of the Front National (FN): In 1972, ON played a crucial role in founding the Front National (FN), intended to serve as the electoral front for the far-right in France. Jean-Marie Le Pen, who later became a prominent figure in French politics, was chosen as the leader of the FN.
– Dissolution: Following the violent clashes in 1973, ON was officially dissolved on June 28, 1973.
– Legacy: Despite its short existence, ON significantly influenced the far-right landscape in France. Many of its members and ideologies continued to shape the FN, which later became the Rassemblement National (RN).
Ordre Nouveau’s blend of radical activism and attempts at political normalization left a lasting impact on French far-right politics, mainly through its foundational role in establishing the FN.
Know more:
https://gredos.usal.es/bitstream/10366/129375/1/Ordre_Nouveau,_fin_des_illusions_droiti%C3%A8.pdf
https://www.cairn-int.info/article-E_POUV_157_0005–the-origins-of-the-national-front.htm
https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=4170056
https://cpp.numerev.com/articles/revue-41/2717-ordre-nouveau
https://www.jean-jaures.org/publication/aux-racines-du-fn-lhistoire-du-mouvement-ordre-nouveau/
https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA381951747&issn=02132087&it=r&linkaccess=abs&p=IFME&sid=googleScholar&sw=w&v=2.1
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/videos/video/2024/06/11/what-s-the-history-behind-france-s-far-right-rassemblement-national-party_6674452_108.html
https://www.larousse.fr/encyclopedie/oeuvre/Ordre_nouveau/180418
https://shs.hal.science/halshs-01709289/file/Aux_racines_du_FN_Lhistoire_du_mouvement.pdf
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/politics/article/2022/10/09/50-years-on-the-french-far-right-how-the-front-national-became-the-rassemblement-national_5999699_5.html
https://muse.jhu.edu/article/172902
https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/ordre-nouveau-fin-des-illusions-droiti%C3%A8res-et/docview/1511108579/se-2
https://www.akribeia.fr/nationalisme/2023-ordre-nouveau-1969-1973-raconte-par-ses-militants.html
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