Éric Zemmour: An Outlier in the 2022 French Presidential Election

Éric Zemmour holds his first official campaign rally in Villepinte, France on December 5, 2021. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

On November 30, 2021, French far-right political journalist Éric Zemmour announced his candidature in the 2022 French presidential election, which will take place this April. He is well-known in Europe for his eyebrow-raising statements and policy goals. Zemmour is also infamous for his brutally honest temerity, as well as his anti-immigrant rhetoric. Although Zemmour’s candidacy is not entirely a surprise since he has spent the last couple of months dropping hints that he would consider running, the idea that such a controversial pundit without any experience in elected office would run for president took the country by storm. 

Zemmour is currently polling at fourth place at 14% in the first round of the election. He sits closely behind incumbent Emmanuel Macron, Valérie Pécresse—a more moderate and far more experienced right-wing candidate—and Marine Le Pen, another conservative politician who lost to Macron in 2017. While Zemmour’s position in numerous polls has decreased slightly since the announcement of his candidacy, it is still too early to argue that he has no chance and discount the potential consequences his victory could have on France. 

France’s sociopolitical climate is also changing as the election approaches. There is a steady increase in the population of immigrants. Many immigrants to France are brushing up against the paradoxical culture of France, which is simultaneously laïque (roughly meaning “secular”) and Catholic. Tensions have been building for years between Muslim immigrants and right-wing voters in France. In 2015 alone, 132 people were killed during various terror attacks committed by radicalized Muslims; despite the extremely small number of radicalized Muslims in France, right-wing voters falsely associate radicalized Muslims with Islam in general. Such events have placed the notion of “laïcité” (the constitutional principle of strict secularism) at the forefront of debate. Terror attacks continue to stoke fear and embolden nationalist sentiment. 

At the same time, islamophobic attacks rose by 53% in 2020. For example, in late 2021, over the course of one month, three mosques in three different cities were defaced by islamophobic attackers. In fact, the vandalism of mosques has become a common occurrence in France. Overall, islamophobic attacks in France occur much more frequently than terrorist attacks committed by radicalized Muslims. 

Zemmour’s lack of political experience has helped him become the poster child of fringe far-right positions. Many of his ethnically French, ultraconservative supporters view him as a populist candidate for the French people, against any governmental establishment that fails to uphold cherished values of “laïcité” and “liberté, égalité, fraternité.” Zemmour’s views, especially regarding Muslims, are quite similar to those of Donald Trump, who was elected without political experience and with the support of voters who believed him to be a refreshing change from establishment politicians. Early into his presidency, Trump instituted executive orders that targeted Muslim immigrants, such as travel bans. It is likely that Zemmour would do something similar. He has already been able to use the momentum of support that he acquired during his years as an author and pundit to gain even more political traction in France as his position in polls continues to rise. 

Zemmour is well-known for his xenophobia and racism—he was once fined for exclaiming that child migrants were “thieves, murderers, and rapists.” Zemmour is a repeat offender when it comes to racist comments and has been fined several times for violating hate speech laws. Zemmour is also islamophobic, once claiming that Muslim and Islamist values are completely contrary to French republican values and should not be welcome into France. 

Zemmour also once proposed the idea that all children born in France should have “ethnically” French names, strongly believing that any name not traditionally associated with French history is consistently against the country’s “values.” His target is clear: Muslim citizens and immigrants to France. With about 9% of the French population being Muslim, Zemmour’s French naming system would be extremely damaging and further increase tension. This is a form of cultural erasure as Muslim parents would have to conform to the western French Catholic naming traditions. 

One of Zemmour’s most well-known theories, known as “Grand remplacement,” is the backbone of his inflammatory ideology. “Grand remplacement” is an idea prevalent among white nationalist movements, which holds that Arab, Berber, Turkish, and sub-Saharan Muslim populations are replacing the ethnic French Catholic population and destroying French culture as a whole. This theory is one of Zemmour’s most dangerous ideas. Even across Europe, branches of the originally French neofascist youth group Génération Identitaire have been holding more demonstrations against minority ethnic groups using rhetoric that has its roots in the “Grand remplacement” theory. 

The division of the French left and Zemmour’s ability to attract members of the electorate from both political extremes demonstrate the power that he already has. Zemmour is a unique candidate compared to Macron and Le Pen, regardless of their respective positions on the ideological spectrum. Zemmour is extremely far right of center, but he has taken votes from Le Pen, who is the head of the already extremely conservative “Rassemblement National” (French for “national rally”). Le Pen has been accused by former supporters of being too inconsistent about her positions regarding French Muslims and immigration. Zemmour has taken advantage of Le Pen’s loss of support and disappointed Le Pen voters are embracing Zemmour’s rhetoric. What is also unusual about Zemmour is his popularity with some far left populist voters, some of whom agree with him on his stance regarding immigration.  

If Zemmour were to be elected a president, France would be in grave danger. Zemmour posits that under his rule, immigrants and Muslims would be put under control to “save” France and could be forced to adhere to French Catholic traditions. Zemmour’s inflammatory comments and policy proposals would further stoke the sharp divisions in France between the Muslim community and Zemmour’s traditional, right-wing supporters. His ideology, which borders on authoritarianism, would not produce his desired effect of more control—French society would be more volatile than ever. The future of France depends on who wins the presidential election this April, and stakes are incredibly high. 

As the French presidential election quickly approaches, candidates are campaigning and hosting rallies in full swing. Éric Zemmour is known for being incredibly polarizing and controversial. In this Op-Ed, Sophie Bulova (CC ’25) examines Zemmour’s policy goals and ideology, and how his victory would exacerbate the tension between a growing Muslim community and emboldened far-right voters in France.