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During the recent elections in France, the race for reaching power was explosive. After the first round of legislative elections, it seemed likely that the next government would be led by the right-wing Rassemblement National.

However, in a dramatic turn of events, 224 candidates withdrew for the second round to facilitate a coalition of left and far-left parties, resulting in a surprising outcome. The Nouveau Front Populaire alliance won the presidency despite having fewer votes than the Rassemblement National. 

Unacceptable behavior by far-left politicians in France.

They refuse to shake hands with their opponents (RN), labeling them as fascists.

This deputy from LFI-NFP said: "They are brain-sick; they are not normal representatives. There must be a sanitary cordon, no contact with… https://t.co/UHMqY24qxu

— Alexandra Lavoie (@ThevoiceAlexa) July 19, 2024

Among the newly elected deputies, an Antifa member entered the Parliament. Raphaël Arnault of the left-wing alliance easily defeated his right-wing opponent. His inclusion on the watchlist due to his anti-fascist collective has sparked controversy. The far left’s presence in Parliament has brought language such as "fascist" and "racist" into common use, with some members refusing to shake hands with Rassemblement National MPs, labelling the party as untouchable.

"Anti Anti Antifa Paris"

Far-left extremists have scaled the statue at Place de la République. Palestinian and Antifa activists have joined forces and are demanding a REVOLUTION.https://t.co/ikWHGQgXxu pic.twitter.com/2pXoUXBCvC

— Alexandra Lavoie (@ThevoiceAlexa) July 7, 2024

Andy Ngo, an expert on the American far-left and Antifa, provided his insights on the situation in France. "The recent elections in France parallel what happened in America in 2016," Ngo explained. "Many Democrats in the U.S. adopted radical leftist and Antifa rhetoric in opposition to Donald Trump." Ngo noted that the far-left bloc in France fielded candidates openly aligning with Antifa, resulting in an Antifa member's election to Parliament.

Tenir la ligne face aux fascistes !
Malgré que ces derniers aient des barres en fer et des gazeuses la manif #NousToutes a su les dégager comme il se doit.@jeune_garde @UnionSolidaires pic.twitter.com/KQ3nMjTqSw

— Raphaël Arnault (@ArnaultRaphael) November 21, 2021

"We've seen this legitimization of radical tactics in America, which were rewarded electorally," Ngo said. "I worry about France's long-term stability, as political violence is already common, and far-left militants are encouraged to take direct action. We should expect more violence moving forward." He also expressed concern about the mainstreaming of leftist political violence, which he believes will lead to more instances of violence.

Ngo highlighted the influence of radical ideologies on young people, noting that these individuals often get their information from social media and legacy media, which reinforce leftist viewpoints. "Radical ideology is being introduced in schools and universities, leading young people to be easily misled," he said.