France’s ‘hard left’ has been demonised – but its agenda is realistic, not radical

The New Popular Front party is the best defence against the far right’s politics of hate

(Left to right) Leaders of France's left-wing coalition: The Green Party's Yannick Jadot; Communist Party national secretary Fabien Roussel; Socialist Party Secretary General Olivier Faure; President of the Green Party Marine Tondelier and the far-left's Manuel Bompard.

The first round of legislative elections in France produced an unprecedented surge of support for the far right. Next Sunday, the National Rally (RN) and its allies could potentially make it to power. Not just with a relative majority, but — and there is a significant probability of this — with an outright one.

Some may argue that the far right is here and we should simply get used to it. Far-right parties have won elections in recent years in other European countries, including Italy and the Netherlands. But we cannot get used to it.