Extract of At Pol’s, our political newsletter reserved for our subscribers: ddiscover it for free.
Some claim that the RN has changed and it is surprising because you only have to listen carefully to see that the far-right party has not budged an iota and remains true to itself, imbued with a crass and indelible xenophobia. Roger Chudeau, a former RN MP running for re-election, has just provided a new example of this, this Thursday evening, on BFMTV. A specialist in education issues – we remember his clash with teachers’ unions last year – is often presented as a potential minister in a possible Bardella government. If this ambition ever comes to fruition, we must not forget the candidate’s words, assuring without flinching that, according to him, a former Minister of National Education should not have been appointed to such a position because of her dual nationality.
This contradicts the speech of Jordan Bardella, who has been on a mine-clearing mission for several days and explains in interviews that his measure to restrict jobs to people with dual nationality only concerns around ten so-called sensitive positions. And the leaders of the RN take as an example a Franco-Russian whom we would not want to see at the head of a nuclear power plant. Except that no one is fooled and, when the RN speaks of dual nationality and risk of “double allegiance”to use the words of Jean-Philippe Tanguy, we are targeting the Maghreb rather than the Motherland. “National security requires that we be absolutely sure of someone’s loyalty”said Chudeau before speaking about himself about Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, whom he simply presents as “Franco-Moroccan”. “I think this was a mistake [qu’elle soit ministre] and that it was not a good thing for the Republic”, he added, considering that “ministerial positions must be held by Franco-French people”. “It was said by Jordan and Sébastien Chenu, it’s completely clear, he added. What applies to a senior official must apply to his minister, everyone can understand that.”
To support his point and fuel the trial by “dual allegiance”, Chudeau has pulled out a big fake news story from the far-right bin: the supposed desire of “NVB” to impose Arabic lessons in CP. A far-right fantasy already dismantled in… 2016. “Reverse assimilation is progressing. What do you think is the next step?” wondered a young Bardella. Except that the minister was just implementing international conventions allowing the learning of a modern language from CP onwards, from a wide list, from English to German, including Arabic. The National Front elected officials, on the other hand, were not too moved by the possibility that Serbian or Spanish could be taught from primary school onwards. An oversight, surely.
Where is the Republican front?
On Thursday evening, Vallaud-Belkacem did not respond to the ignominy of the Le Penist’s remarks. Others, including those in the Macronist majority, took care of it. However, she took the opportunity to challenge the Macronist majority. “Simple question for the Renaissance candidates and Emmanuel Macron: do you support this? Otherwise, you know what you have to do: commit, each time you come third, to withdraw in favor of the candidate who respects the values of the Republic. she posted on X. “Big lie. Big liar. She is the best of the Republic and you are its shame, Boris Vallaud, the former minister’s husband, added. The responsibility of those who will not stand down against the RN in the second round is posed today: it is immense.”
For his part, Chudeau ended the evening with his tail between his legs and explained in a message on social networks that his position “is a strictly personal opinion, and is not binding in any way” his side. This is strange because, a few minutes earlier, he nevertheless considered that his position had been validated by Bardella & co. A misunderstanding, surely, or, as a Franco-Italian would say: What the fuck?
