It was on Sunday, June 30 that the first round of the 2024 legislative elections was held in France, three weeks after the dissolution of the National Assembly. The National Rally (RN) and its allies came out on top. Mauritians in France speak out on the far right that is on the verge of power.
According to the almost final figures from the Ministry of the Interior published yesterday afternoon, the National Rally and its allies obtained 34.2% of the votes and can hope for an absolute majority in the National Assembly. The New Popular Front collected 29.1% of the votes, ahead of the presidential camp which obtained 21.5% of the votes, according to the latest estimates. The second round will be held on Sunday, July 7.
More than 14,000 Mauritians reside in France
According to the Statista Research Department, as of May 22, the number of Mauritian immigrants living in France in 2020 stood at 14,118.
3,875 voters out of 10,502 registered in Mauritius
In Mauritius, there are 10,502 registered French people. However, only 3,875 have fulfilled their civic duty.
Sylvanie Velvendron: “a logical and expected continuation”
“The results of the first round of the legislative elections do not surprise me, because the rise of the extremes has been a reality in Europe for several years now, and this concerns both the far right and the far left. This demonstrates a massive disavowal of current politics in France, particularly Macronist politics.
The fact that the FN is in the lead perfectly reflects current French society, where racism, xenophobia and Islamophobia are unfortunately very present. It is therefore a logical and expected consequence, especially for the children of immigrants from the African continent.
When you are Mauritian in France, you suffer less because you are not considered African, but as coming from a paradise and exotic island. But for my husband, who is dual national, it is a different story. The children of African immigrants, as he often says, feel rejected by their country, France, while their country of origin is not really theirs, but that of their parents. The FN proposes to no longer accept dual nationals in the civil service, but it should be noted that it is dual nationals who suffer the most discrimination in the world of employment and especially housing in France. When we see that the French diaspora in Morocco voted FN, we wonder if we are walking on our heads!
Natasha Dauhajee: “A surprise, yes and no…”
“The results of the legislative elections are a surprise, yes and no, because inflation and the French people's fed-up attitude towards the current government are real. Yes, there are fears: women's rights under threat, the right to abortion, homosexuals under threat, racism and xenophobia trivialized… The mood is not necessarily good. Everyone is unhappy with these results. There is a big questioning of France's motto: fraternity. Immigrants who are in order and who have contributed to the development and progress of France are disappointed with this negative mentality that prevails in these elections.
Honestly, it will be almost impossible not to hire foreigners in the civil service given the needs and demands within national education. There are many foreign or immigrant teachers in national education. Immigrants are obviously disappointed and perhaps disillusioned given these results. But those who are in order have nothing to fear if the RN were to come out on top in the second round as well. There will inevitably be more vigilance and sanctions for people on French soil illegally.
Sandrine L.: “Bardella offers new innovative ideas”
“Of course I have fears, being from an immigrant background. What I fear is an amalgamation on the subject. I am Mauritian, I work, I pay contributions in France, I have a stable situation. Those who are undocumented, who have an Obligation to Leave French Territory (OQTF), who live on benefits and whose children are delinquent, these are the ones who must leave.
The RN is led by a young man, especially since he is handsome. He speaks well, expresses himself correctly and is popular. The founder's ideas are over; today, Bardella is proposing new innovative ideas.
Today, the French are fed up with the current situation. A French person who has worked all his life in France retires at 65 without receiving anything, while an immigrant or someone protected because his country is at war receives a higher allowance than a French person. Purchasing power in France has decreased; everything has become expensive.
Someone who has chosen an adopted country for X reason must make the choice at some point to renounce their dual nationality for French nationality. For me, it is a conspiracy that the President dissolved the Assembly so that the people could make the choice. Under his mandate, we can't take it anymore. The choice of the French would be for the RN to pass.
