between political tributes and criticism — RT in French

The announcement of the death, at the age of 96, of Jean-Marie Le Pen on January 7 sparked numerous reactions: tributes from the right and the center but also criticism from the left from La France Insoumise.

“Dead, even the enemy has the right to respect”, these are the words written by Jean-Marie Le Pen in September 2019, during the death of his political opponent Jacques Chirac, which were reposted on January 7 by the journalist from Figaro Paul Sugy.

While, since the announcement at midday of the death of the “Menhir”, his detractors and his anonymous defenders have raged on social networks, political figures have also spoken out.

“He has always served France, defended its identity and its sovereignty,” greeted the president of the National Rally (RN), the name with which the National Front was renamed in 2018, on X. Jordan Bardella.

Within the RN, tributes have multiplied as well as among allied parties. The president of the Union of Rights for the Republic Éric Ciotti thus spoke of a man who was “profoundly French […] gray areas but also courage and sincere patriotism.

Multiple tributes to the right

Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, who was the only candidate called to vote for Marine Le Pen in the second round of 2017, for his part hailed a “monument of French political life […] he will have marked his time by the strength and constancy of his national convictions.

“Emotion at the disappearance of a figure in French political life, Jean-Marie Le Pen. Sincere condolences to his family and loved ones,” declared the president of the Patriotes Florian Philippot, who was not spared by Jean-Marie Le Pen in 2017 when he was number 2 of the National Front.

Éric Zemmour, for his part, recalled “that he was among the first to alert France of the existential threats that awaited it”. Finally, Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau sent his “condolences to Marine Le Pen and her loved ones” and saluted a man who “will have undoubtedly marked his era”.

Prime Minister François Bayrou also hailed “a figure of French political life”.

The Presidency of the Republic, for its part, announced Emmanuel Macron’s condolences to the family of Jean-Marie Le Pen and mentioned a “historic figure of the extreme right” who “played a role in the public life of our country for almost seventy years” and which “is now subject to the judgment of History”.

Retained on the left, except among the “Insoumis”

If most left-wing figures have so far refrained from commenting on the death of Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of Les Insoumis (LFI) Jean-Luc Mélenchon did not have this thoughtfulness.

The latter immediately commented on his X account: “respect for the dignity of the dead and the grief of their loved ones does not erase the right to judge their actions. Those of Jean-Marie Le Pen remain unbearable. The fight against man is over. The one against the hatred, racism, Islamophobia and anti-Semitism that he spread continues.

The national coordinator of the Insoumis Manuel Bompard, for his part, denounced “a nostalgic for collaboration, a person responsible for torture, a racist and an anti-Semite […] an enemy of the Republic.

The deputy Raphaël Arnaud, elected under the LFI banner and anti-fascist activist, multiplied the messages denouncing the tributes of the Prime Minister and the Minister of the Interior but also affirming that “the anti-fascist fight has never been more necessary than today ‘today’.