Jews stuck between the far left and the far right in French elections

France’s Jews are stuck between two extremes as next Sunday’s elections approach. While the far left and far right parties are both accused of anti-Semitism, “the danger from the extremes has never been greater,” according to CRIF.

The far-right National Rally party – led by Jordan Bardella and Marine Le Pen – is poised to win the largest vote share in its history and could even win a majority of seats in the French National Assembly. According to experts, this could mean “another step forward” in a wave of immigration of Jews from France to Israel.

Ariel Kandel, general director of the Quelita association for the integration and encouragement of Jewish immigration, told The Times of Israel that some 50,000 French Jews are “currently considering leaving.”

But according to Kandel, Jews would be even more inclined to consider making aliyah if Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s far left came to power. “Then we’re talking about an even bigger push factor,” Kandel said.

Kandel said many French Jews believe Mélenchon is an anti-Semite. Since October 7, he and his movement – ​​France Unbowed – have criticized Israel’s military actions and refused to label Hamas a terrorist group.

Mélenchon has also been accused of downplaying anti-Semitism. In a blog post earlier this month, the far-left leader said anti-Semitism was “absent” from anti-Israel rallies in France.

Anti-Semitism in France has increased since October 7, with four times more anti-Semitic incidents reported in 2023 compared to the previous year. The Jewish population in France numbers around half a million people – the largest Jewish community in Europe.

Allegations of anti-Semitism against Mélenchon – who denies being anti-Semitic – have pushed some French Jews toward the far right. The National Rally has a strongly pro-Israel stance, attracting some Jewish voters. As part of her plan to detoxify her party’s image, Marine Le Pen even joined protesters in Paris in November demonstrating against anti-Semitism.

Serge Klarsfeld, Holocaust survivor and famous Nazi hunter, notably declared that if he had to choose between the far left and the far right, he would vote for the National Rally. Speaking to French news channel LCI, he said the National Rally “supports the Jews, supports the State of Israel.”

For many Jews, the National Rally is a party they cannot support. Its founder, Jean-Marie Le Pen, has multiple convictions linked to anti-Semitism, including having repeatedly declared that the Nazi gas chambers were only a “detail” in the history of the Second World War.

Discussing the choice between the far left and the far right, one Jewish voter told Reuters: “I feel like I’m caught between the plague and cholera.” Beyond the election result, France’s Jews are already changing their behavior as fears of anti-Semitism grow. According to a recent poll, more than half of Jews surveyed have stopped wearing religious symbols in public and 19 percent have removed mezuzot from their homes.

The second round of legislative elections will take place on Sunday. The election does not affect the presidency but can limit the president’s ability to pass laws.