A History of the French Far Right from the 1890s to the Present
Interview with Enda O’Doherty about his book The Dark Side of France: A History of the French Far Right from the 1890s to the Present. Traces the French far right’s origins from the rejection of the French Revolution, through the Dreyfus affair’s anti-Semitism and the monarchist Action Française, to the Vichy regime’s collaboration. Examines how figures like Jean-Marie and Marine Le Pen built a durable political force, blending hard conservatism with populism. Covers the party’s broad coalition, internal contradictions, and its increasing electoral success despite historic opposition, including the challenge of “de-diabolisation”.
