Charlie Kirk the French Way: Far-Right Seeks Momentum

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The upcoming French municipal elections are seen as a key indicator for the 2027 presidential race. In this heated context, the far-right claims to be a victim of the far-left.

In recent days, France’s far-right National Rally has likened the death of one of its activists, Quentin Déranc (23), to that of American conservative activist Charlie Kirk last year.

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The National Rally argues that the incident demonstrates how the populist party leading the polls is targeted by radical leftist forces, similar to the MAGA movement in the U.S. following Kirk’s assassination.

With the crucial municipal elections next month—a barometer for the National Rally’s chances in the presidential vote—this event has deepened divisions in the already polarized French political scene and raised fears of further violence, according to the American magazine Politico.

Pierre Roman Teynié, MEP for the National Rally, stated: “What happened to Quentin seems like it could have happened dozens of times to our supporters in recent years,” adding, in reference to Kirk’s death, “Of course, the circumstances are not identical, but there are similarities in impact.”

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Unlike Kirk, Déranc was unknown to the public before his death last Saturday after receiving multiple blows to the head during a fight near the university where MEP Rima Hassan attended an event.

The circumstances of the altercation remain unclear. The far-right feminist group “Collectif Némésis” stated that Déranc provided security for them during their protest against Hassan and her party, France Insoumise.

Most of the outrage has focused on France Insoumise and its leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, as police investigated whether members of the now-dissolved anti-fascist group “Jeune Garde,” co-founded by MEP Raphaël Arnault, were involved.

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Last Thursday, a judge charged two individuals with intentional homicide, while one of Arnault’s parliamentary assistants was investigated for complicity. The Lyon prosecutor announced an official inquiry into seven individuals for intentional homicide. Three suspects reported belonging or having belonged to “far-left” groups; some admitted participating in the altercation, but all denied intending to kill Déranc.

Mirroring former U.S. President Donald Trump’s response after Kirk’s death, National Rally leader Jordan Bardella labeled the incident as “terrorism”: “When an organization uses terror to impose its ideology, it must be fought with the same force used against terrorist groups.”

Marion Maréchal, niece of Marine Le Pen and MEP for the European Conservatives and Reformists led by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, called for a European Parliament debate on “far-left violence in Europe threatening our democracies.”

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Meloni expressed her “shock” at the incident and blamed “left-wing extremism” and the “ideological hate climate sweeping across multiple countries,” sparking a new dispute with French President Emmanuel Macron and his Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, who stated that France Insoumise must “cleanse its ranks.”

Meanwhile, France Insoumise also references Kirk’s death, but to warn against a repression campaign similar to Trump’s actions against universities.

Last Tuesday, French Education Minister Philippe Baptiste announced he would seek to ban political conferences in universities whenever authorities believe they could lead to confrontations. Rima Hassan expressed concerns that the government might impose “censorship” on universities.

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French media reported Thursday that Lyon Mayor Grégory Doucet opposed a march Saturday to honor Déranc, fearing it could incite further violence.

Despite increased violence in recent years, most politically motivated attacks have historically been carried out by far-right groups.

Sociologist Isabelle Soumiet told Le Monde that politically motivated assaults have doubled since 2017, most carried out by far-right extremists.

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She added that if authorities determine Déranc was killed by an anti-fascist group because of his political views, he would be the first victim of far-left radical violence since the 1980s.

France Insoumise condemned the violent attack and denied involvement. Arnault expressed his “shock and disgust” and is working with parliamentary services to terminate his assistant’s contract following his alleged participation.

The incident is unlikely to affect France Insoumise’s prospects in Lyon’s mayoral race, where victory was improbable. The real test will be whether it impacts expectations in other municipal elections where the party’s candidates are making gains.

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