By Simon Gorbaty ’19, Staff Writer

Although the average U.S. citizen may not recognize her name, Marine Le Pen, the head of France’s National Party, has received immense support since announcing her presidential candidacy on February 5th. Le Pen’s popularity reflects the rise of anti-globalism, nationalism, and populism as major political forces across the world. The connection between President Trump and Le Pen, through their similar campaign promises and the nature of their support, makes Le Pen’s campaign important for Americans to take note of.

At her launch rally in Lyons, Le Pen stated,“What is at stake in this election… is whether France can still be a free nation.” For the National Front, a “free nation” means freedom from what many believe is the harmful impact of globalization. At the rally, Le Pen restated her previous promises of strict immigration policy as well as France’s departure from the European Union and NATO. “Those who came to France came to find France, not to turn it into their country of origin,” she said. “If that’s what they wanted, they should’ve stayed in their country.”

Le Pen’s rhetoric refers to the large number of Middle Eastern, Muslim immigrants who currently reside in France. “They are looking to impose on us gender discrimination in public places… prayers in the workplace, prayers in the streets, or the submission of women… No French, no Republican, no woman with her freedom and dignity at heart can accept it,” she declared to cheers and applause at her rally. When asked about the rise of Le Pen and surging nationalism across France, Benjamin Berkowitz ‘18 replied that “it has definitely been because of the many terrorist attacks in France and across Europe.” Indeed, terrorist attacks committed by radical Islamic groups have initiated a strong anti-Muslim sentiment that unjustly targets peaceful Muslim communities in France.

President Trump also called to defund NATO and has taken a strong stance against immigration, particularly from Muslim-majority and Latin American nations. Although the majority of immigrants in France are Muslim, and in the U.S. they are predominantly Latin American, the underlying message of Le Pen and Trump underlying messages is the same: immigrants take more than they give, and should be denied certain privileges including public services, religious freedom, and even the right to reside in the country.

The French government holds a second round of elections if none of the candidates receive above 50% of the vote. Le Pen currently polls at 25%, and is projected to head into a close second round of voting against one of her opponents, Emmanuel Macron, a centrist with 20.5% of public support. Her chances have increased dramatically since Republican Party candidate Francois Fillon was struck by a scandal over using public money to pay his wife for work she never did. Confidence in Le Pen’s victory has also soared with Trump’s election and the Brexit vote, both indications of growing anti-globalism. Speaking on these victories, Le Pen said, “These nations have shown us the waking up of a people.”

However, humanities teacher Ms. Lifson characterized this “waking up” as a polarization. “Globalization has winners and losers, even as it has major benefits for society at large,” Ms. Lifson said. “In response, there are extremist groups that want to blame it on… other groups… I am not saying that everyone who votes for a Trump or a May is scapegoating others. [But] They have appealed to some people that are doing just that. And this is how I see Le Pen, who has always been considered an extremist in her country…Who has scapegoated others.”

Abdul-Nafea Syed ‘17, who had discussed Le Pen with his French exchange student, corroborated Ms. Lifson’s point. He said: “Le Pen is a third party candidate that has been doing well. The third party has been alienating [other political parties] in order to gain the support of the French people. It is a testament to how third party candidates have the ability to change dialogue.”

Overall, numerous factors have contributed to Le Pen’s popularity, giving her the confidence to announce her candidacy on February 5th, but these factors carry the same underlying themes of halting globalization and populism that were present in Trump’s election and Brexit. Regardless of one’s view on Trump, Brexit, and the possibility of Le Pen’s victory in May, it is undeniable that these matters have strongly divided the French people along political lines.