The Post–World War II French Right: From Anti-Communism to Incoherent “Extremism”

Selman Saç

Makale detayları

The Post–World War II French Right: From Anti-Communism to Incoherent “Extremism”

Yazarlar:

Selman Saç

Yayıncı:

Marmara University

Ana Başlıklar:

Siyaset Bilimi (Diğer) | Avrupa Çalışmaları

Dergi:

Marmara Üniversitesi Siyasal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.13 Issue Özel Sayı, pp.164-186

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

7/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001355924

pISSN:

2147-6926

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 The continued rise of the far right on a global scale indicates that this trend cannot be attributed solely to temporary or conjunctural factors. Rather, it suggests the persistence of underlying social conditions that enable the resurgence of extreme right-wing movements. Notably, in countries such as France, despite the historical legacy of fascism prompting center-right parties to maintain a long-standing distance from such movements, recent developments demonstrate a growing tendency among these parties to gravitate toward extremismlargely influenced by prevailing societal dynamics. As the birthplace of the leftright political divide and long considered a fertile ground for the left due to its republican tradition, France has in recent years seen its institutional politics increasingly dominated by the right. It appears likely that this influence will not only continue in the near future but potentially intensify. Therefore, discussing the trajectory of the French right in the postWorld War II era is crucial to understanding the recent radicalization of the right-wing political family. Broadly speaking, the French rightshaped by the extraordinary context that gave rise to the Fifth Republichas historically relied on a form of pragmatism that allowed it to adapt to changing circumstances. This pragmatism led to a gradual embrace of the Republic, a cautious distance from the far right, and a generally pro-European, neoliberal orientation. However, this dominant strand of the right experienced a major rupture following Emmanuel Macrons election in 2017, which triggered a systemic upheaval, compounded by the growing strength of the far right in the country. At this point, the article rests on the observation that all branches of the right in Franceincluding the center-right, the Macronist radical center, and the far-righthave, albeit inconsistently, capitulated to the very form of extremism that the Fifth Republic had long excluded from the political system. Building on this premise, the aim of this study is to examine the transformation of right-wing institutional politics in post-World War II France through the lens of key political actors.

 The continued rise of the far right on a global scale indicates that this trend cannot be attributed solely to temporary or conjunctural factors. Rather, it suggests the persistence of underlying social conditions that enable the resurgence of extreme right-wing movements. Notably, in countries such as France, despite the historical legacy of fascism prompting center-right parties to maintain a long-standing distance from such movements, recent developments demonstrate a growing tendency among these parties to gravitate toward extremismlargely influenced by prevailing societal dynamics. As the birthplace of the leftright political divide and long considered a fertile ground for the left due to its republican tradition, France has in recent years seen its institutional politics increasingly dominated by the right. It appears likely that this influence will not only continue in the near future but potentially intensify. Therefore, discussing the trajectory of the French right in the postWorld War II era is crucial to understanding the recent radicalization of the right-wing political family. Broadly speaking, the French rightshaped by the extraordinary context that gave rise to the Fifth Republichas historically relied on a form of pragmatism that allowed it to adapt to changing circumstances. This pragmatism led to a gradual embrace of the Republic, a cautious distance from the far right, and a generally pro-European, neoliberal orientation. However, this dominant strand of the right experienced a major rupture following Emmanuel Macrons election in 2017, which triggered a systemic upheaval, compounded by the growing strength of the far right in the country. At this point, the article rests on the observation that all branches of the right in Franceincluding the center-right, the Macronist radical center, and the far-righthave, albeit inconsistently, capitulated to the very form of extremism that the Fifth Republic had long excluded from the political system. Building on this premise, the aim of this study is to examine the transformation of right-wing institutional politics in post-World War II France through the lens of key political actors.

 The continued rise of the far right on a global scale indicates that this trend cannot be attributed solely to temporary or conjunctural factors. Rather, it suggests the persistence of underlying social conditions that enable the resurgence of extreme right-wing movements. Notably, in countries such as France, despite the historical legacy of fascism prompting center-right parties to maintain a long-standing distance from such movements, recent developments demonstrate a growing tendency among these parties to gravitate toward extremismlargely influenced by prevailing societal dynamics. As the birthplace of the leftright political divide and long considered a fertile ground for the left due to its republican tradition, France has in recent years seen its institutional politics increasingly dominated by the right. It appears likely that this influence will not only continue in the near future but potentially intensify. Therefore, discussing the trajectory of the French right in the postWorld War II era is crucial to understanding the recent radicalization of the right-wing political family. Broadly speaking, the French rightshaped by the extraordinary context that gave rise to the Fifth Republichas historically relied on a form of pragmatism that allowed it to adapt to changing circumstances. This pragmatism led to a gradual embrace of the Republic, a cautious distance from the far right, and a generally pro-European, neoliberal orientation. However, this dominant strand of the right experienced a major rupture following Emmanuel Macrons election in 2017, which triggered a systemic upheaval, compounded by the growing strength of the far right in the country. At this point, the article rests on the observation that all branches of the right in Franceincluding the center-right, the Macronist radical center, and the far-righthave, albeit inconsistently, capitulated to the very form of extremism that the Fifth Republic had long excluded from the political system. Building on this premise, the aim of this study is to examine the transformation of right-wing institutional politics in post-World War II France through the lens of key political actors.

 Küresel düzeyde aşırı sağın ivme kazanmaya devam etmesi konjonktürel olgularla karşı karşıya olunmadığını göstermektedir. Bu durum, aynı zamanda sağın aşırı, uç versiyonlarının yükselmesini sağlayan toplumsal koşulların devam ettiğinin de işareti sayılabilir. Üstelik başta Fransa olmak üzere birçok ülkede, faşizm geçmişinden dolayı merkez sağ partilerin, uzun süre bu hareketlerle mesafeli bir tutum sergilemelerine rağmen, toplumsal koşullara da bağlı olarak son dönemde bizzat aşırılığa meylettikleri görülmektedir. Sağ-sol saflaşmasının doğumunun da referans noktasını oluşturan Fransa, özellikle cumhuriyetçilikle ilişkisinden dolayı sol için uzun süre verimli bir çerçeve sunsa da yakın dönem kurumsal siyaseti sağın damgasını taşımaktadır. Yakın gelecekte bu etkinin devam etmesi, hatta artması olasıdır. Bu yüzden Fransada İkinci Dünya Savaşı sonrası sağın görünümünü tartışmak ve yakın dönemde aşırılığa meyletmiş sağ aileyi sorunsallaştırmak oldukça önemli görünmektedir. En genel düzeyde Beşinci Cumhuriyeti var eden olağanüstü konjonktürde Fransız sağı kimi sürekliliklerle birlikte çok uzun süre koşullara göre pozisyonunu belirleyen bir pragmatizme yaslanmış, bu doğrultuda adım adım cumhuriyeti daha fazla benimsemiş, aşırı sağla mesafeli bir tutum takınmış ve AB yanlısı, neoliberal tavrını büyük oranda korumuştur. Ancak özellikle merkez sağın bu çizgisi, 2017de Emmanuel Macronun seçilmesinin yarattığı sistemik sarsılma ve aşırı sağın ülkede kazandığı güçlü pozisyon nedeniyle önemli bir kırılma yaşamıştır. Makale gelinen noktada Fransadaki sağın, bütün kollarıyla merkez sağ, Macroncu aşırı merkez, aşırı sağ bizatihi Beşinci Cumhuriyetin uzun süre sistemin dışına ittiği aşırılığa tutarsız şekilde olsa da boyun eğdiği tespitine yaslanmaktadır. Bu zeminden hareketle, bu çalışmanın amacı, Fransada İkinci Dünya Savaşı sonrası dönemde sağ kurumsal siyasetin dönüşümünü temel politik aktörler üzerinden tartışmaktır.

Makale detayları

The Post–World War II French Right: From Anti-Communism to Incoherent “Extremism”

Yazarlar:

Selman Saç

Yayıncı:

Marmara University

Ana Başlıklar:

Siyaset Bilimi (Diğer) | Avrupa Çalışmaları

Dergi:

Marmara Üniversitesi Siyasal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.13 Issue Özel Sayı, pp.164-186

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

7/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001355924

pISSN:

2147-6926

Extremism

Right

Center

France

Charles de Gaulle

Emmanuel MacronAşırılık

Sağ

Merkez

Fransa

Charles de Gaulle

Emmanuel Macron

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Selman Saç

Yayıncı: Marmara University

Ana Başlıklar: Siyaset Bilimi (Diğer) | Avrupa Çalışmaları

Dergi: Marmara Üniversitesi Siyasal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.13 Issue Özel Sayı, pp.164-186

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 7/2025

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001355924

pISSN: 2147-6926

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Selman Saç

Yayıncı:

Marmara University

Ana Başlıklar:

Siyaset Bilimi (Diğer) | Avrupa Çalışmaları

Dergi:

Marmara Üniversitesi Siyasal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.13 Issue Özel Sayı, pp.164-186

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

7/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001355924

pISSN:

2147-6926