Evelyne Marcelot, a 71-year-old woman, worked for forty-six years as a secretary at the Villeroy & Boch factory in Nangis, Seine-et-Marne, before it closed due to competition from countries with lower wages. She then ran her own small home care service business. She loved living in La Ferté-Gaucher, a quiet town of 4,800 inhabitants, where she served as a municipal councilor for a few years. However, she no longer enjoys living in her town, blaming the changing population with too many immigrants, veiled women, and what she considers to be too many social cases. As a Republican voter at heart, she plans to vote for the National Rally (RN) in the upcoming elections to shake up the elites and bring about change in the country.
In the fourth district of Seine-et-Marne, where Jordan Bardella’s list received 47.5% of the votes in the European elections, there is a sense of revenge and a desire for a victory that is not just electoral, but also identity-based and cultural. This sentiment is fueled by a slow build-up of disappointments, anger, and misunderstandings about the state of French society, leading to fears of the disappearance of the right from the National Assembly in a historically conservative area with political figures like Alain Peyrefitte, Christian Jacob, and Jean-François Copé. The atmosphere is reminiscent of the feeling in the US where some believe former President Trump’s victory was stolen in 2020, and in France where some feel François Fillon was unfairly eliminated from the 2017 presidential race, marking the beginning of the decline of French conservatism.
Evelyne Marcelot believes that François Fillon should have become president in 2017, as he represented what she views as the true right-wing values. However, she feels he was obstructed by external forces, leading to the unraveling of French conservatism. The sentiment is echoed by others in the region, including Olivier Lavenka, a local official in Provins, who feel that Fillon’s elimination had a cascading effect known as the “butterfly effect,” impacting the political landscape. Despite the frustrations felt by individuals like Marcelot, the future of the right-wing in Seine-et-Marne remains uncertain, with the possibility of continued challenges in the upcoming elections.
As the political landscape in Seine-et-Marne continues to evolve, the sentiments of voters like Evelyne Marcelot reflect a desire for radical change, comparable to the leftist victory in 1981. Many voters are drawn to platforms that promise to combat the rise of the far-right, instill fear of chaos, and present themselves as a solution to societal challenges. There is a shared hope for a significant shift in power that will address perceived injustices and restore a sense of identity and culture for those who feel marginalized or overlooked. The political atmosphere in the region is charged with a mix of nostalgia, frustration, and a longing for decisive action that can bring about meaningful change.
In conclusion, Evelyne Marcelot’s story reflects the broader trends and sentiments in Seine-et-Marne, where the rise of far-right politics and dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs have led to a desire for a decisive shift in power. The feelings of disappointment, anger, and fear of societal changes have fueled a desire for radical change and a rejection of the status quo. As the region grapples with the uncertain future of the right-wing and the political landscape continues to evolve, individuals like Marcelot will play a crucial role in shaping the direction of French politics and society as a whole.
