The French government has ordered the dissolution of four far-Right groups and an Islamic association.
This includes GUD, a group known for violence and antisemitism.
The move comes just days before the first round of the snap legislative election called by President Emannuel Macron after far-Right parties made gains in several countries in European elections. An expert told Newsweek at the time that the results signaled a pronounced rightward shift.
Other groups banned include Lyon-based “Les Remparts”, La Traboule and Top Sport Rhône. Islamist association Jonas Paris was also dissolved.
“Hatred of extremes must be fought by the Republic,” Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin wrote on X.
Marine Le Pen’s party National Rally (RN) is leading all polls whilst Macron’s Centrist alliance is lagging, but the outcome remains highly uncertain due to the two-stage voting system and potential alliances.
This is the first time since the Nazi occupation that France could elect a far-Right government.
During a recent debate, National Rally president, Jordan Bardella, reiterated controversial policies including the abolition of free health care for foreigners and stricter regulations on French nationality acquisition.
His proposal to ban dual citizens from strategic state jobs sparked a heated response from Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who accused Bardella of promoting xenophobic and racist objectives.
“The message you are sending is that dual citizens are half-citizens, not real French people,” Attal argued.
French politicians from both sides of the political spectrum have raised concern about the rise of the far-Right.
The leader of the French conservative party, The Republicans (LR), was dismissed two weeks ago following his controversial decision to form an alliance with National Rally.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, a past defector from the LR, described the move as a “dishonor to the Gaullist family”, and compared the move to the Munich accords with Nazi Germany on the eve of World War II.
French authorities are bracing themselves for potential violence ahead of the first round of voting, Darmanin told RTL radio.
“It’s possible that there will be extremely strong tensions,” Darmanin said Monday.
Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told France Info radio he fears for “civil peace”.
“I don’t see the RN as a factor of stability and peace. I see it as a factor of disorder and violence,” he said.
RN leader Jordan Bardella said he would show zero tolerance for violence, from whichever side it came.
“If I’m prime minister in a few days, I intend to disband organizations that foment violence in our society, whether they’re from the ultraleft or the ultraright,” he said during a press conference.
The French elections will take place on 30 June and 7 July.
Source: Newsweek