The Collapse of the Center in French Politics

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French politics have witnessed the collapse of the center, center-right, and center-left. Macron, who initially united the center-right and center-left, faces challenges as the traditional parties are losing ground. Extremist voices on the left and right have gained traction, leaving the center unrepresented. Macron's attempt to align with the right against Marine Le Pen backfired, as mimicking her rhetoric did not attract new voters but rather strengthened her position. This failure to maintain a unified center reflects a broader trend where extreme positions overshadow moderate voices.

Yascha Mounk and Olivier Roy discuss the rise of the French right.

Olivier Roy is a French political scientist and professor at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy. His latest book is The Crisis of Culture: Identity Politics and the Empire of Norms.

In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and Olivier Roy discuss how the new European far-right differs from the old; the French concept of laïcité, or secularism, and whether it goes too far in curtailing public religious practices; and whether a new appeal to universal values and compromise is possible in societies fragmented by identity politics.

This transcript has been condensed and lightly edited for clarit y .

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