As France approaches its 2027 presidential election, the growing influence of anti-Muslim and racist rhetoric is raising concerns about escalating violence against Muslims and immigrant communities. With the far right, led by Marine Le Pen's National Rally, increasingly close to political power, critics warn that anti-Muslim discourse is becoming normalized in mainstream politics and media, while elements of the far right's agenda are increasingly finding their way into government policies.

One of the latest examples of this climate was a racist attack in Trappes, a suburb of Paris, which left a 26-year-old Black man, Pengo Boussio Wangi, dead and seven others injured, including a 12-year-old girl. Thousands of people took to the streets on October 30 to pay tribute to the victims.

The 39-year-old suspect admitted during questioning that he had targeted his victims because they were Muslim, African or of North African origin. Investigators also reportedly found a copy of Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf and stickers associated with the far-right National Rally party at his home.

Ali Rabeh, the mayor of Trappes, warned that hatred against minorities does not emerge in a vacuum. Repeated political narratives portraying minority communities as threats, he argued, help create an environment in which they become targets of violence.

He specifically criticized the National Rally and its president, Jordan Bardella, who described Trappes as a "small Islamic republic" in 2022. Rabeh also condemned politicians who, in an attempt to appeal to the far right, have adopted its language and demands and helped incorporate some of them into official legislation.

The Normalization of Islamophobia in French Politics

Concerns about the situation of Muslims in France extend beyond physical attacks. Middle East Eye reports a series of threats circulating online against Muslims and racial minorities, ranging from calls to ambush delivery workers because of their ethnic backgrounds to threats to poison halal food in supermarkets and attack Muslims praying outside mosques.

On October 31, slogans promoting "remigration" were also spray-painted on the facades of several shops in Paris. The term refers to the mass deportation of immigrants and is closely associated with the "Great Replacement" conspiracy theory, which claims that Europe's native populations are being deliberately replaced by immigrants.

The refusal of Aurore Bergé, France's minister responsible for combating discrimination, to describe the Great Replacement theory as racist has also drawn criticism.

Abdellali Hajjat, a sociology professor at the Free University of Brussels, argues that the adoption of such concepts by government officials contributes to the normalization of far-right discourse. Speaking to Middle East Eye, he warned that when government figures promote concepts such as the Great Replacement, "Islamism" and "Islamo-leftism", they help legitimize a racist worldview rooted in conspiracy theories.

The term "Islamo-leftism" has increasingly been used by French politicians to accuse sections of the left of aligning themselves with Islamists. Meanwhile, allegations of political and social influence by the Muslim Brotherhood have become another controversial issue in France's political debate.

Restrictive Laws and Growing Suspicion Toward Muslims

Alongside political rhetoric, the French government's legislative policies have also become a major source of concern for human rights organizations.

The 2021 law on combating separatism is among the measures criticized by the French Human Rights League. Opponents argue that the legislation has reinforced suspicion toward Muslim communities and created greater scope for restricting their religious and civic activities.

The organization has also raised concerns about legislation expanding police powers, increasing surveillance of citizens and restricting the right to protest.

Meanwhile, the report highlights growing concerns over police violence against protesters during recent demonstrations in France. Since protests began in September, thousands of people have reportedly been arrested on charges ranging from disturbing public order to property damage, with 85 percent of those arrested said to be under the age of 18.

The 2027 Election: Fears of a Far-Right Takeover

Another key theme in the report is the connection between the growing climate of Islamophobia and efforts to marginalize political movements opposed to the far right.

The left-wing party La France Insoumise, led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, has repeatedly faced accusations of "Islamo-leftism" because of its anti-racist positions and support for Palestinian rights.

Critics argue that sections of the mainstream media and political establishment have amplified these accusations in an effort to push the party outside the boundaries of legitimate political debate. Yet, according to Middle East Eye, French intelligence services have not identified traditional left-wing parties, including La France Insoumise and the Communist Party, as responsible for violence during recent protests.

Against this backdrop, the approaching 2027 presidential election and the possibility of Marine Le Pen's National Rally coming to power are intensifying concerns about the future of minority rights in France.

Hajjat has warned that if the National Rally wins the election, foreign nationals and even French citizens with immigrant backgrounds could be among the first groups to face legal discrimination in areas such as housing, employment and education.

Taken together, these developments suggest that Islamophobia in France is no longer limited to controversial statements by politicians or isolated attacks against Muslims. Critics argue that the repeated use of anti-Muslim rhetoric, the growing legitimacy of far-right narratives in political and media discourse, and the expansion of restrictive policies are helping create an environment in which discrimination against Muslims and immigrants could increasingly become institutionalized.

The 2027 presidential election could prove to be a turning point in this trajectory, determining whether the normalization of far-right politics will translate into a more entrenched system of discrimination against France's Muslim and immigrant communities.

Source: MEE