French far right accuses left of threatening ‘civil peace’ if Le Pen wins

As France's presidential election draws closer, the far-right has charged the left with plotting to endanger "civil peace" if Marine Le Pen triumphs in the spring vote. With under eight months until the crucial election, Le Pen, 58, continues to lead the polls. Analysts note a rising appeal for political extremes in France, with recent surveys indicating Jean-Luc Melenchon, 75, could lead the hard-left in a run-off against Le Pen.

During a speech at an agricultural fair in Chalons-en-Champagne, Jordan Bardella, RN party president and potential prime minister under Le Pen, expressed alarm over left-wing calls for "civil disobedience" should the RN secure power. Bardella, 30, deemed these demands evidence of the left's disdain for democracy and the rule of law.

He warned that the National Rally's opponents are intent on undermining the nation's institutions. Several left-wing figures, including Mathilde Panot and Marine Tondelier, have suggested they would back "civil disobedience" in an RN victory. Analysts fear the election campaign may become dominated by populist, anti-establishment figures, raising concerns about a potential runoff between the far right and the hard left.

Bardella further accused Melenchon of harboring ill intentions, stating during a recent debate that the hard-left candidate seeks to "disobey" European decisions and cancel France's public debt, without a desire to protect the country's institutions.