Front National name change ‘political suicide’, says founder
Radical move may isolate Marine Le Pen from grass roots of far-right French party

The founder and former leader of France’s far-right Front National has said plans to change its name amount to political suicide.
Jean-Marine Le Pen warned his daughter, who now leads the party, that she risks cutting herself off from the party’s grass roots with her radical rebranding plan.
Marine Le Pen, who dropped the Front National brand during her failed presidential bid last year, will ask members to agree to replace the name, which insiders say puts off potential voters and is an obstacle to alliances with other groups.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
While she was soundly beaten by Emmanuel Macron in the second-round run-off, Le Pen still shocked many in France by winning a third of total votes, one of the biggest electoral successes by a far-right party in post-war Europe.
Speaking to Reuters, the elder Le Pen, who led the FN for nearly four decades and lost a presidential run-off against Jacques Chirac in 2002, said: “This initiative is suicidal. That would be so for a company, and that is obviously also the case in politics.”
“It takes years, decades, to build a credible political name,” he added. “Wanting to change it is ... inexplicable.”
Le Pen father and daughter “have been at odds since she kicked him out of the party in 2015 in a bid to distance herself from his frequent inflammatory remarks, which put off a large part of the electorate”.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Since the election she has dropped her unpopular anti-euro stance and refocused the party on migration and security. Now it appears she wants to go one step further and consign some of her father’s divisive legacy to history.
-
Gripping political thrillers to stream now
The Week Recommends From power struggles to deadly conspiracies, these addictive shows are nail-bitingly tense
-
What to know before turning to AI for financial advice
the explainer It can help you crunch the numbers — but it might also pocket your data
-
Book reviews: 'The Headache: The Science of a Most Confounding Affliction—and a Search for Relief' and 'Tonight in Jungleland: The Making of Born to Run'
Feature The search for a headache cure and revisiting Springsteen's 'Born to Run' album on its 50th anniversary
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American cities
Under the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctions
The Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?
today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
The France-Indonesia push for an Israeli-Palestinian two-state solution
Talking Points Both countries have said a two-state solution is the way to end the Middle East conflict
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designation
The Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across Syria
THE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
What does the Le Pen verdict mean for the future of French politics?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION Convicted of embezzlement and slapped with a five year ban on running for public office, where does arch-conservative Marine Le Pen go from here — and will the movement she leads follow?