COMMUNE-­‐LEVEL VOTING TENDENCIES AND THE RISE OF THE FRONT NATIONAL IN FRANCE: A CASE STUDY OF LA GIRONDE

Abstract

ABSTRACT For decades scholars have analyzed the emergence of extreme-­‐right parties in Europe, especially France’s Front National (FN). Scholars generally approach the rise of the FN qualitatively, analyzing the development of the FN at the national, regional, and departmental level within traditional FN strongholds. Previous studies find that unemployment, education, insecurity, and demography affect FN vote share. While these studies are informative and important, they do not provide insight into patterns of voting at the commune level and the importance of commune-­‐level politics in forming national support for the FN. The first section of this research analyzes five French departments and argues that voting tendencies since 1995 impact FN vote share at the departmental level. The second section offers a case study of FN support in particular communes and cantons with la Gironde, a non-­‐traditional, socialist controlled department. I argue that a decline in the support for the left political party and the right’s inability to create an image that resonates with these former leftist voters corresponds to increased FN support. A changing political environment in la Gironde creates conditions that can lead to increased support for the FN with the right underlying conditions.