1. French politics is gripped by the threat of the far right, a threat that is spreading throughout Europe in the form of fears of a widespread rise in neo-fascism. This anxiety is in keeping with the logic of times in which the right seems to accept the drift towards post-democratic authoritarianism, and neo-fascists capitalize on it with the classic game of copycats. For some time now, the names of Marine Le Pen—given her pending criminal case—and Jordan Bardella have been mentioned as potential presidential candidates. However, this weekend's municipal and regional elections, while not decisive, have highlighted the gap between rhetoric and reality, giving France signs that might suggest the reactionary movement is not as potent as it seems, provided the right doesn't lend it a hand.

Is La France Insoumise (LFI) a far-left party? In a country where the government officially classifies parties into different political blocs, the answer is not innocuous. It could shape France's political future. The party, founded by Jean-Luc Mélenchon in 2016, has always been labeled radical left—a label the party embraces—and was already classified within the left-wing bloc. However, a circular published by the Interior Ministry on February 2nd, in anticipation of the municipal elections in March, places the party in the far-left bloc. "I don't make the classifications, but there's no mystery that they are far-left," Emmanuel Macron asserted. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez—formerly the head of the Paris Police—justified the decision by citing criticism from the insubordinate to the police forces or the "systematic" use of motions of no confidence.