Hegemonic defeatism: The mainstreaming of far-right politics in France

Abstract Another European election, another ‘earthquake’ in France. For the third time in a row, the far-right Rassemblement National has won and for the third time, the reaction from the mainstream elite only serves to further mainstream its politics. This could not be better exemplified than in Emmanuel Macron’s decision to call for a new legislative election and appoint a right-wing Prime Minister, despite the results. The aim of this article is to couch the French case in a different light to that which is usually applied to understanding the rise of the far right. To understand what is happening in France and the crisis it (and other democracies) is facing, we must take a longer-view approach. Instead of focussing on the far right itself, this article examines the past 50 years through a lens that focuses on power and those in a particularly privileged position to shape the agenda and public discourse. This demonstrates how a different, more critical approach to the rise of the far right, which accounts for the central role of mainstream elites, can help us not only better understand this rise, but offer alternatives beyond the current hegemonic defeatism.