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Le Monde analysis: 9/11 attacks shifted Western far-right to cultural racism
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This Le Monde analysis argues that the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks by Al-Qaeda marked a turning point for radical right-wing movements in Western democracies, particularly in France. The article states that hierarchical racism within these factions gave way to 'cultural' racism based on Samuel Huntington's clash of civilizations theory. Attacks shifted from general immigration to specifically targeting Islam and Muslims, who were portrayed as a fifth column with an incompatible culture. The identitarian movement in France, emerging from Nationalist-Revolutionary currents, is highlighted as the best example of this post-9/11 transformation. Identitarians adopted violently anti-Islam and anti-Zionist positions, gaining prominence in the early 2010s through actions against mosque construction and Muslim street prayers. The article notes that former identitarian leaders are now found around Eric Zemmour and Marion Maréchal, who develop highly hostile discourses toward Islam.
Source report
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001—carried out by Al-Qaeda against the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia—marked a turning point, including for the far right in Western democracies. The events profoundly changed the operating system of this political family, particularly in France.
After the fall of the Twin Towers, an intellectual reconfiguration took place within radical right-wing movements. These political formations are characterized by their plasticity, adapting to the prevailing moods of the moment. The Islamist attacks of 2001 confirmed this rule.
Long dominant among the most radical factions, hierarchical racism gave way to "cultural" racism, which identified with the clash of civilizations theory. Attacks were no longer focused on immigration but more specifically on Islam and Muslims, regardless of their nationality. The latter were accused of constituting a sort of fifth column, their culture being deemed "incompatible" with Western societies. Islam came to be viewed as a political religion, with a warlike and conquering logic.
The Identitarian Movement in France
In France, the identitarian movement best illustrates the transformation of the post-September 11 far right. Emerging from Nationalist-Revolutionary (NR) movements, its members describe themselves as:
- Nationalist
- Anti-capitalist
- Anti-communist
- Anti-American (due to their rejection of the liberal system and "cosmopolitanism")
- Violently anti-Zionist
- Heavily influenced by the New Right, a school of thought advocating anti-egalitarianism and racialism
Identitarians appeared shortly after the 2001 attacks and defended positions that were not only anti-immigrant but also Islamophobic.
They gained prominence in the early 2010s through:
- Actions against mosque construction sites
- The organization of "saucisson-pinard apéros" against Muslim street prayers
- "Conferences on remigration"
- "Conferences against Islamization"
Today, several of their former leaders can be found around Eric Zemmour, president of Reconquête!, or European MEP Marion Maréchal. Both develop discourses that are highly hostile to Islam.
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Source
Politique : Toute l’actualité sur Le Monde.fr.Western