After the murder of far-right activist Quentin Deranque, the debate on political violence is becoming more entrenched. A survey by Elabe highlights a widely shared perception of escalating tensions and increased demands for exemplary behavior from political parties by the French.
The murder of far-right activist Quentin Deranque has raised deep questions about the state of democratic debate. According to an Elabe survey, 54% of French people believe that there is an increasing number of deadly political violence between far-left and far-right groups, with the phenomenon “worsening and intensifying.” In contrast, 35% believe that this violence has always existed, and recent events are part of a historical continuity. 11% did not express an opinion.
This diagnosis of aggravation dominates, but it is not completely unanimous. More than a third of those surveyed downplay the novelty of the phenomenon, indicating a nuanced interpretation of recent events. Nevertheless, the perception of a rise in violence in the public debate is widely shared and cuts across party lines. 57% of Emmanuel Macron’s voters, 74% of The Republicans’ voters, and 68% of National Rally voters subscribe to it. On the left, 52% of Socialist sympathizers also believe the situation is deteriorating. The supporters of La France Insoumise stand out: 53% feel that this violence stems from an old phenomenon rather than recent aggravation. The split is less about the reality of the facts and more about their interpretation.
Beyond the observation, 70% of French people link the tensions in political debate in recent years to recent physical violence. Only 14% believe that these tensions have “nothing to do with” these acts, while 16% did not express an opinion. This judgment is the majority across all demographic categories and voter groups: 85% among LR voters, 82% in the Macron camp, 76% among National Rally voters. On the left, 78% of Socialist sympathizers share this analysis, compared to 55% of La France Insoumise sympathizers, who are more divided.
Strong Expectation for Exemplarity
The survey also highlights a strong expectation for exemplarity. 78% of French people want political parties to systematically exclude leaders convicted of physical violence or racist and anti-Semitic remarks. Only 10% believe there is no need to remove them if the justice system has not banned them from holding political responsibilities. Once again, there is broad consensus: 93% among LR voters, 92% in the Macron camp, 81% among left-wing voters.
Finally, the perception of political parties is marked by clear labels. 67% of French people view La France Insoumise as a “far-left party,” while 62% label the National Rally as a “far-right party.” These assessments are widely contested by their own supporters, revealing a persistent polarization and difficulty in sharing common analytical categories. [Context: The article discusses the findings of a survey by Elabe on the perception of political violence and tensions in France following the murder of a far-right activist.]
