Division within the French Centre Right during the Hollande presidency: the case of cultural insecurity

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis article will contend that the concept of ‘cultural insecurity’ is crucial to explaining the divisions within Les Républicains during the Hollande presidency. While this notion has been used to account for the falling number of working-class voters who support the Centre Left, we will argue that concern about a changing society was more widespread, and affected prosperous groups that were benefitting from economic growth, as well as those who felt that they were losing out. We will show that the Centre Right was split between two groups—socially conservative Traditionalists, who formed a majority within the party, and more socially liberal Modernists. Fillon was successful in the 2016 primary because he won the support of the Traditionalists. However, this strategy reinforced this division within the party, as Fillon’s policies alienated many Juppéistes, some of whom joined En Marche before the presidential elections, whilst others defected after Fillon’s defeat. Another section of the party left to form a new movement, Agir. Cultural insecurity therefore helps to explain the splits within Les Républicains between 2012 and 2017, and why the party has remained so divided after its defeat.