Marion Maréchal and Her New Political Movement in the Extreme Right

Marion Maréchal's Political Move

Marion Maréchal, the niece of Marine Le Pen, announced recently the creation of a new party she aims to lead: Identité-Libertés (IDL). She envisions a movement that is anti-woke, anti-assistance, and against fiscal racketeering, as detailed in the pages of Le Figaro. Nothing novel here: Maréchal rolls out the typical language used by the extreme right that echoes from the likes of Reconquête (Éric Zemmour's party), the Union of Rights for the Republic (Éric Ciotti's party), Debout la France (Nicolas Dupont-Aignan's party), the Movement for France (Philippe Devilliers' royalist party), and, of course, the RN.

Many Parties, Few Differences

At least six extreme right parties in France raise eyebrows about how defined each movement is, as they serve a riff on deeply entrenched ideas of prejudice. "Fifty shades of extreme right," quips a BFM TV columnist. Will these parties manage to combine their strengths at the right moment? It seems unlikely. In the bubbling cauldron of French extreme right politics, no one seems willing to engage with another.

After a long frost period, Marine Le Pen and Marion Maréchal tolerate each other but not without tension. Between Zemmour and Le Pen's granddaughter, it’s literally a battlefield. As for Ciotti, he’s constantly under scrutiny. Dupont-Aignan and Philippe Devilliers? They barely represent anything beyond themselves.

Strategic Timing of the Announcement

This announcement from Marion Maréchal coincides with the RN facing a historic trial for misappropriation of EU funds, which could lead to Marine Le Pen's disqualification. Coincidence? If Marine Le Pen were unable to encapsulate the extreme right in the upcoming presidential elections of 2027, someone has to take that spot. From Bardella to Maréchal and Ciotti, the race is on, with everyone striving to be one step ahead.

Marion Maréchal publicly claims she aims to be a help to Marine Le Pen and insists she harbors no grand ambitions, only a desire to present an innovative project. But as Talleyrand once said, "in politics, innovation is always betrayal," and Maréchal has a history of that in this sector.