Bannon: ‘Wear racist badge like a medal’
▶ US election strategist makes divisive speech at far-right Front National rally in France
Steve Bannon, the former White House chief strategist, has told France’s far-right Front National party that “history is on our side and will bring us victory”.
In an address at the party’s annual conference in Lille on Saturday, Mr Bannon, who played an essential role in Donald Trump’s campaign for the US presidency, told the crowd: “You are part of a movement that is bigger than that in Italy, bigger than in Poland, bigger than in Hungary.
“You recall the evening of the American election, the traditional media were shocked. They could never have believed that the Americans had finally voted in their own interests.
“You fight for your country and they call you racist. But the days when those kind of insults work is over. The establishment media are the dogs of the system. Every day, we become stronger and they become weaker. Let them call you racists, xenophobes or whatever else, wear these like a medal.”
Mr Bannon’s surprise appearance in Nice came as Front National’s leader, Marine Le Pen, attempts to reinvent the party, following a poor showing in last year’s parliamentary election.
The conference also voted on a renaming of the party to Rassemblement National – National Union. It also it severed ties with founder, Jean Marie Le Pen – Ms Le Pen’s father, who led the party until 2011. He was expelled by his own daughter in 2015 but had the symbolic position of honorary chairman, a post that was officially abolished yesterday.
Philippe Marliere, a professor of French politics at University College London, said Mr Bannon’s appearance was at odds with Ms Le Pen’s efforts to rebrand the party.
“She has said she doesn’t want it to be seen as a far-right party, and she’s serious about getting into power. For that you need to be seen as more inclusive, you need to branch out.
“The strategy is inconsistent. If she really wants to go beyond 15 to 20 per cent, the glass ceiling, you need to be seen as a less extreme. Inviting Bannon is a contradiction. He’s not a moderate conservative figure.
“On the contrary he’s associated
with neo-Nazis and racists. Even on the right in France there was not much support for Trump,” Prof Marliere told The National.
Mr Bannon made appearances last week in Italy, where he hailed the victory of populist parties in the March 4 election as an “earthquake”. He also toured Switzerland and Germany, where he met with members of the far-right Afd party. In an interview with The New
York Times last week, he said he was focusing his efforts on spurring a populist uprising outside of the United States. “All I’m trying to be is the infrastructure, globally, for the global populist movement,” he said.
He said he was considering buying a news outlet such as
Newsweek to provide his populist message with a voice.
Benjamin Haddad, a fellow at the Hudson Institute, said Mr Bannon’s speech was a publicity stunt.
“During the US campaign, she distanced herself from Trump, notably when he talked of the Muslim ban. After his victory, she completely changed gear and tried to embrace his victory.
“I see the Bannon invitation in this context,” he told
Bannon is associated with neo-Nazis and racists. Even on the right in France there was not much support for Trump