French authorities express concern over MAGA movement’s ties with far-right parties ahead of 2027 elections, as ideological alignment grows
PARIS: French authorities are growing increasingly concerned about the MAGA movement’s influence on domestic politics ahead of key 2027 elections.
The warning comes as far-right parties gain momentum across Europe, with France’s National Rally party seeing its best opportunity to win the presidency.
A security source told AFP there is “real concern” about MAGA’s influence, though no coordinated digital campaign has been detected.
Kevin Roberts, president of the influential Heritage Foundation, visited Paris earlier this year to meet with “leaders of the French right”.
“We connect the dots between people in certain countries who are working on similar policies,” Roberts told reporters during his May trip.
National Rally vice president Louis Aliot acknowledged common ground with US conservatives on immigration and opposing “woke” culture.
But Aliot stressed his party wishes to remain “an independent voice” rather than adopting MAGA’s nationalistic and religious elements.
A French diplomatic source noted National Rally appears less receptive to MAGA ideas than counterparts in Germany and the United Kingdom.
Recent polling predicts National Rally leader Jordan Bardella could become France’s next president in 2027.
The 30-year-old politician remains very popular despite not being the party’s official candidate yet.
Former presidential candidate Marine Le Pen faces barriers to running due to a graft conviction, though she has appealed.
MAGA influence appears stronger with fringe elements of France’s far-right political spectrum.
Marion Marechal, president of the Identity-Liberties party, recently met with Trump media adviser Alex Bruesewitz.
Bruesewitz called Marechal “a very impressive young woman” with a “bright future” after their November meeting.
Marechal told AFP that social media freedom helped establish contact to “strengthen each other to advance our common causes”.
Disinformation expert Nina Jankowicz said US conservative outreach to European far-right movements is now “official policy”.
Vice President JD Vance has criticized Germany’s restrictions against the far-right AfD party.
Centrist EU lawmaker Nathalie Loiseau expressed concern about European far-right parties adopting MAGA rhetoric.
“The language used by the European far right is very often copied and pasted from what we hear from MAGA,” Loiseau told AFP.
She noted European far-right parties demanded a minute’s silence for Charlie Kirk despite him not being European.
Reconquest party MEP Sarah Knafo said the French far right sees US conservatives as “a laboratory for what works and what doesn’t”. – AFP
