From Front National to Ressemblement National in France: Rebranding the Party Image

• Main Author: Evgenia A. Zakharova
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University) 2020-12-01
• Series: RUDN Journal of Political Science
• Subjects: party rebranding; rassemblement national; migration; assimilation
• Online Access: http://journals.rudn.ru/political-science/article/viewFile/24285/18444

On the 1st June 2018 Front National changed its name to Rassemblement National - a measure to break away from antisemitism and anti-Islamism, to create a better party image. However, the old symbol - the flame - has been preserved as a tribute to old guard of the part, and Marine Le Pens presidential campaign statements were transferred to the partys new website unchanged. The aim of this article is to examine if the party changed its agenda after re-branding or if it remained a formality. The research question is whether the party tries to attract electorate by changing its political course or it leaves the main ideas intact. Author tries to address the research question by using document analysis method and comparative analysis of the partys programs. Though the party no longer calls for fighting Muslim-migrants and focuses on economic issues, author concludes, that it still aims at promoting assimilation policy which is a milder version of fight against migrants coming from other cultures.