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Alex Potts's avatar

You wonder why the Conservative movement has co-opted radical-right ideas. I don't know about France, but in my own country, the UK, it is surely largely about Thatcherism having run out of road - there just aren't many more Thatcherite reforms to be made because Thatcher already did them all, and so populist ideas fill the policy vacuum.

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Maxim Lott's avatar

Not convinced here.

Conservatives are about conserving traditional order and institutions, yes.

Le Pen is all about conserving France as a nation for French people -- she's all about preserving demographics and culture (as opposed to the US multi-culture example.)

What institutions does she want to erode or destroy?

Seems to be she's working for conservative ends, entirely within the democratic process and established institutions. Just because bureaucrats aren't happy with it doesn't make it non-conservative!

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