Zemmour: The Embodiment of Fear

At the time, a significant part of the population resigned itself to the rise of fascism in Europe as the lesser of two evils. "What do you want to do? We have to face Bolshevism, right?" Replace this last term by "Islamism" and you understand the underlying causes for Zemmour’s success. In a political climate still dominated by the scourge of terrorist attacks, he is able to rally many supporters behind his provocations. 

Values of tolerance, equality, justice, decency - or simple respect for historical accuracy - should mobilize us against Zemmour. Unlike General de Gaulle, he does not seek to bring the French together, but to divide and polarize them, to the point of a possible civil war.

A leniency full of guilt

A member of the French Academy recently demonstrated surprising leniency towards Zemmour. Instead of opposing him and his arguments - if only to contest their truthfulness - he warned against those who would be tempted to oppose the politician: "the more you oppose him, the more he will rise in the polls". As if a tactical political calculation could prevail over any moral consideration. 

In his desire to rewrite history and to somehow reconcile the paths of Pétain and General de Gaulle, Zemmour may be trying to erase the divisions between the Right and the far-Right.

As early as 1972, US historian Robert Paxton’s research on "Vichy France" established, without the slightest ambiguity, the inexcusable role played by the Vichy regime in the persecution and deportation of French Jews. Eric Zemmour's provocative remarks in favor of the Pétain regime are chiefly intended to clear him of all suspicion in the eyes of his potential voters. It is his obsession with Islam however that is at the core of his doctrine, particularly relying on the "great replacement" thesis, an Islamophobic and white nationalist conspiracy theory.

Sense of humiliation

If there ever was a "great replacement" underway, which is far from certain, it is not the one Zemmour speaks of. The only "replacement" we are facing today is not the product of France's apparent "submission" to the rise of Islamism. Rather, it is the product of the relative decline of the West in the face of Asia, and in particular China. As it is too often the case, Zemmour’s analysis suffers from a gap between instinctive fear and reflective fear.

In France, the politics of reason will eventually prevail over those of anger and outrage. Barring any exceptional circumstances, such as a major scandal out of nowhere, the incumbent President is likely to hold onto power for a second term. This is already a small victory in the recent history of the Fifth Republic since 1958.

However, the image that France is currently projecting to the world is troubling. The country must be in a very dire state to gather more than 15% in voting intentions for a political agenda based on fear and hatred, led by a candidate guided by a feeling of humiliation and a personal desire for revenge. 

To counter the dangerous blend of manipulation and cynicism carried by Zemmour’s skillful provocations, only two solutions remain: impassioned moderation and ethical common sense. This requires firmness and clarity. It is not Islamism that constitutes the main threat for France, but an "American-style" evolution towards the extreme polarization of our society.

Courtesy of Les Echos (published on 05/11/2021).

Copyright: Ludovic MARIN / AFP