Twenty years ago, on April 21, 2002, the extreme right entered the second round of the presidential election for the first time in its history.

Jean-Marie Le Pen, the leader of the National Front, won 16.86% of the votes cast and was ahead of Lionel Jospin (16.18%), the candidate of the Socialist Party, obtaining the right to face outgoing President Jacques Chirac (19 .88%), on Sunday May 5.

The highest abstention observed during a first round of a presidential election, 28.4%, and the high number of candidates, had favored this result.

A real shock which provoked an unprecedented protest movement against the far right throughout the country during the intervening period.

These demonstrations reached their peak on May 1, with more than 1,300,000 people gathered throughout the territory, including 400,000 in Paris.

Return,


Directed by:

Olivier JUSZCZAK

  • From the announcement of the results indicating the presence of Jean-Marie Le Pen in the second round of the presidential election, rallies against the extreme right are organized everywhere in France.

    "Shame", in Strasbourg, April 21, 2002.

  • And the protests will continue for two weeks.

    Here, in Paris, April 22, 2002.

  • The front page of the newspaper

    Liberation

    of April 22, 2002 becomes iconic.

    It is brandished in all processions.

    The daily sold 700,000 copies, against an average of 170,000 at that time.

  • "No to racism", in Caen, April 22, 2002.

  • "I'm ashamed", in Strasbourg, where nearly 10,000 people gather on April 22, 2002.

  • “F like Facho, N like Nazi” becomes the slogan taken up in all similarities.

    Here, in Nantes, on April 23, 2002. 

  • The National Front (FN) being the former name of the National Rally (RN) until 2018.

  • "Together against F-Haine", "Let's block the road to F-Haine", in La Rochelle, April 24, 2002.

  • In Toulon, demonstrators pass by a newsstand where the front page of

    Paris Match

    magazine is displayed, April 25, 2002.

  • "Le Pen has not changed, stop racism", in Strasbourg, April 25, 2002.

  • "All together, let's extinguish the flame!"

    with the logo of the far-right party.

  • Young people gather on the Place du Capitole, in Toulouse, on April 25, 2002.

  • “Voting Le Pen, it rhymes Aryan”, in Lille, April 26, 2002.

  • "100% against Le Pen, let's vote", in Paris, April 27, 2002.

  • May 1, traditionally a day of union mobilization, is transformed into an “anti-FN” rally throughout France.

    Like here, in Bordeaux. 

  • “Democracy in mourning”, in Marseilles, May 1, 2002.

  • More than 1,300,000 people take to the streets against the far right in France that day.

  • Including 400,000 in Paris.

    Like here, Place de la République.

  • Where here, place de la Bastille.

  • Four days later, on Sunday May 5, Jacques Chirac was re-elected President of the Republic with 82.21% of the votes cast, thanks to the “republican front”.

  • Slideshow

  • Elections

  • Far right

  • National Front

  • Jacques Chirac

  • Jean Marie Le Pen

  • Expression

  • Marine Le Pen

  • Presidential election 2022

  • National Rally (RN)