Marion Maréchal has denounced the unauthorized use of her image by a far-right group after a photo was shared on social media showing posters featuring her alongside racist messages. The photo, not dated or location specified, shows Maréchal’s image accompanied by the text “The Party of France with Marion Maréchal”, alongside other posters with racist messages. The inclusion of Maréchal in these posters has sparked criticism from internet users and politicians, including Guillaume Lacroix, president of the Radical Left Party and a candidate in the European elections. He made a direct connection between these posters and the far-right group Reconquête! and questioned the intention behind the racist messages.
In response to the photo of the posters, Marion Maréchal clarified that these were not campaign posters for her party and labeled it as a “gross manipulation” by a “small group”. She shared a cease and desist letter sent to the president of The Party of France, Thomas Joly, on April 17, explaining that this campaign was launched solely by that group and without her consultation. Maréchal emphasized that she does not want the expenses related to these posters to be included in her campaign accounts, without addressing the support from The Party of France or the content of the messages on the posters. The lack of acknowledgment of the racist nature of the messages on the posters drew criticism from politicians like Ian Brossat, a senator from Paris.
Earlier in the day, an unofficial and anonymous Twitter account expressing support for Emmanuel Macron’s candidate for the June 9 election denounced the use of Maréchal’s image in the posters as a “shame on the values of the Republic”. Some politicians, like Hadrien Clouet from La France insoumise, went as far as to label Maréchal as “the candidate of the Nazis”. Thomas Joly, president of The Party of France, responded to Maréchal’s statements, dismissing the controversy as unnecessary. He clarified that the group had only expressed support for Maréchal in the upcoming European elections and had previously supported Eric Zemmour for the presidential election without causing a similarly strong reaction.
Joly highlighted that The Party of France, founded in 2009 by former members of Le Pen’s National Front, had also supported figures like Eric Zemmour, emphasizing that unity on the right also involves aligning with those who are associated with the National Front, such as himself. The use of Maréchal’s image in the posters by a far-right group without her authorization has raised concerns about the visibility and spread of racist and extremist messages during the European election campaign. Politicians have criticized the lack of a clear denunciation of the racist content on the posters by Maréchal and her focus on the financial implications instead. The incident highlights the complex and controversial nature of political alliances and affiliations in France’s current political landscape.
