March against anti-Semitism: a majority of French people welcome the initiative but disapprove of attempts to sideline the RN

Political quarrels will not have got the better of the popularity of the march against anti-Semitism which is to take place this Sunday in Paris. Launched at the initiative of Yaël Braun-Pivet and Gérard Larcher, the gathering is supported by nearly 7 out of 10 French people, according to a Backbone-Odoxa Consulting survey for Le Figaro.

A scene of divisions in the political class, the demonstration is approved by the majority of French people regardless of their partisan affiliation. Imagined by Renaissance and Les Républicains elected officials, the march receives its strongest support from those close to the Socialist Party (84%) and Ecologists (81%). Macronist and right-wing supporters are respectively 79% and 73% in favor of it.

The gathering, vilified by Jean-Luc Mélenchon who sees it as a “rendezvous” of “friends of unconditional support for the massacre”, nevertheless finds favor in the eyes of the supporters of La France insoumise (LFI). 75% of them encourage it, even though the Insoumis have announced their absence. In question, “the ambiguity of the objectives of this approach”. 79% of LFI supporters consider that the march does not amount to support for the Israeli government, an accusation made by the left-wing movement.

On the other side of the political spectrum, those close to the National Rally (RN) are the most hostile to the parliamentary initiative (70%). They are also the least likely to believe that participation in the rally does not correspond to support for the Jewish State (69%). Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella were, however, among the first to respond to the call from the presidents of the National Assembly and the Senate. This did not fail to arouse admonitions from the left but also from part of the macronie, for whom the party with the flame has no place in the procession.

A feeling shared by a narrow majority of French people, 54% of whom question the legitimacy of the RN to demonstrate against anti-Semitism this Sunday. After the controversial positions of its leaders, LFI provokes even more rejection than the elected Marinists (57%), closely followed by Éric Zemmour's party, Reconquête! (59%). If the three parties are disavowed by public opinion, 59% of French people still disapprove of the refusal of certain political figures to march alongside the RN.

Unsurprisingly, it is the supporters of the RN who are most strongly opposed to exclusion from the party (83%). They are followed by supporters of LR (64%), the only party not to have demanded the ousting of the frontists. The initiative, supported by the entire left but also by government spokesperson Olivier Véran, is widely welcomed by LFI (67%) but tears apart those close to Renaissance. While 50% approve of the sidelining of the RN, 47% regret it.

If the Élysée has still not communicated about the presence of Emmanuel Macron this Sunday, 54% of French people believe that the President of the Republic should not participate.