Le Front National is a political party in France which has been generally characterized as being radically conservative and neo-fascist. It is a multi-level party, with representatives at the national, regional (cantons) and municipal levels. It was created in 1972 by Jean-Marie Le Pen, who is to this day the leader of the party, and in the elections the following year the party received 1.32% of the popular vote. In 1986, the 35 members of the party were elected into power and in 1988, Le Pen received 15% of the popular vote (fourth place overall) for the office of the president. He ran again in 1995, and again received roughly 15% of the popular vote. In the last elections, Le Front Nationale won 14.9% of the popular vote but only one seat in the national assembly and no seats in the senate.

The support for Le Pen has historically come from the south and south-western parts of France, where his ideas concerning immigration and multiculturalism are better accepted. The debate about what the party actually stands for is very heated, so consider the two descriptions presented below:

Description by Le Front National

Aujourd'hui l'identité de la France est menacée par la vision mondialiste de l'établissement politicien. Face aux projets cosmopolites de mélange des peuples et des cultures, le Front National se veut le rempart de l'identité nationale. Loin de tout racisme ou de toute xénophobie, Jean-Marie Le Pen se bat pour défendre les Français pour que la priorité leur soit donnée par rapport aux étrangers et pour que leurs droits fondamentaux soient respectés.

Nowadays, the identity of France is threatened by the cosmopolitan view held by the political establishment. The Front National sees itself as the stronghold and bastion of national identity against cosmopolitan projects aimed at mixing peoples and cultures. Far from being racist or xenophobe, Jean-Marie Le Pen fights to defend the French people so that they are given priority over foreigners and so that their basic rights are respected. (Translation taken from the Front National website)

Description by Le Manifeste

Le FN et la démocratie sont incompatibles. Les quatre thèmes fondateurs du Front national ont pour but de faire voler en éclat l'idée de démocratie, l'identité de notre République, qui est, dans sa référence historique, la forme concrète qu'a pris la démocratie dans notre histoire ... Tout ce qui fait reculer le FN et ses positions néfastes pour la France est légitime. Le Pen et le FN ne doivent pas passer!

The FN is incompatible with democracy. The four founding themes of the Front National are contrary to the very idea of democracy and the identity of our republic which is, in historical context, the form that our democracy has taken during our history ... Everything done to hamper the FN and its nefarious ideas for France is legitimate. Le Pen and the FN must not succeed! (my translation)


The web site of the Front National is http://www.front-national.com, and that of Le Manifeste is http://www.multimania.com/manifeste/Nous/kesako.html

Personal disclaimer: I am not French, nor have I lived in France over the past twenty years. The information I have provided has been gathered from North American printed news sources and from the internet (and some limited discussion with French nationals). I would strongly encourage any French noders to jump in and offer their opinion or further facts concerning the Front National, and especially to help with my translation above.