A DIGRESSION INTO THE HISTORY OF FRENCH NATIONALISM

As you know, presidential elections will be held in France tomorrow, on April 23. According to polls the presidential race is leaded by Maine Le Pen, the National Front leader, who declares herself as a French nationalist. Considering this fact let us make a short digression into the history of French nationalism 20th century.

Let's back to 60's, when the French nationalists had been seen their main enemy in the face of Bolshevism, Maoism and other forms of socialism. In those days they often collided with ideological enemies in the streets and dispersed rallies of local leftists shouting slogan "West is stronger." There were two main movements, that can be distinguished in France of that epoch: les nationaux (national patriots) and les nationalistes. The first could be described as sentimental patriots, liberals and naive conservatives, while the second ones were solid and disciplined, true political soldiers, future vanguard of a nationalist revolution.

Then, during the war in Vietnam the nationalists established a South Vietnam support organisation, within the framework of which they used to counteract the leftist propaganda on the matter and disrupt Kremlin-funded conferences on "American imperialism" under the slogan "West is stronger." 

Tragic news shocked French patriots in 1977. On February 10, Alain Escoffier, a 27-year-old activist of the nationalist movement commited self-immolation in the Representation of Aeroflot on the Champs Elysees. This act he made in protest against  communist oppression in Eastern Europe and Western governments' condoning on this. His last words were "Communists are killers!" 

In those days the Celtic cross became a common symbol of European nationalism, a symbol of struggle against Bolshevism, that had been approaching from East. A motorcycle helmet has become an integral feature of right-wing street fighters.

It were nationalists, who had touched upon the issue of migration in early 80's, anticipating the consequences of such unwise policy.

And then the National Front appeared. First, being opposed and officially banned by police the nationalists got stabbed in the back when Le Pen's party seized their newspaper and even printing presses. In the world without the Internet, it was a terrible blow. Neither newspapers, nor leaflets.

The National Front members had betrayed the nationalists by acceding to leftists in their persecution of people who believed their duty to defend France from red invasion.

Nationalists had faced the wave of baiting, outright lies and riggings. Being guided by own ambitions to become a French right-wide the National Front leader had contributed to elimination of many talented and youth organizations and projects.

Le Pen hasn't opposed migration in deed. Cherishing the ideas of French imperialism revival, local elites had chosen the wrong way believing that migrants from the country's former colonies will help to regain French order there in future. All we see the consequences now, last one occurred just few days ago in Paris.

On the other hand now we have another representative of the Le Pen family, who does not hesitate to take money openly from Russian elites, provding that Moscow has took the course on renewal the USSR project in its modern cosmopolitan-oligarchic from.