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FRENCH HISTORY

Who are France’s modern royalists?

You don't need to be a history expert to know that the French chopped off the head of their king - but 230 years later there are still several groups in France dedicated to the restoration of the monarchy.

Published: 9 August 2023 16:52 CEST
Who are France's modern royalists?
Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP

The French Revolution may be an extremely well-known part of history, but it’s also a lot more complicated than many people appreciate – it’s not like Louis XVI was guillotined and then France immediately became a modern democracy.

The Revolution itself was complex, ever-shifting and frequently blood-drenched and France saw several further periods of royal rule after 1793. These include a royal restoration and two self-crowned Bonapartes (remember them, they will be important later when we come on to the various modern claimants to the throne). 

The Revolution was also a very long way from being universally popular and across France people often fought for the restoration of their monarchy, with uprisings including the extremely brutal (on both sides) Vendée war that lasted from 1793 to 1796. 

Who are the modern monarchists?

Royalism no longer involves armed campaigns, but there are at least 16 active royalist or monarchist groups in France.

The best known and best supported three are Action Française, Alliance Royale and Nouvelle Action Royaliste.

They encompass people from across the political spectrum, but several of the current active groups are deemed to be far-right and monarchism is often linked with views that are far-right, anti-Semitic or both.

Action Française has been the subject of several attempts to ban their marches or rallies on the grounds of their far-right links, although a May 2023 event to honour Joan of Arc (another historical figure often claimed by the far-right) was allowed after a court overturned the ban.

What do they do? 

For most it’s a historic thing – there is a yearly gathering at the Basilica of Saint-Denis, the traditional burial place of French kings, by dedicated monarchists. Every year since 1815 royal fans gather at the Saint-Denis cathedral on January 21st to mark the anniversary of the execution of Louis XVI.

Some also take part in historical events and royal-themed costume balls.

Do most French people want a monarchy?

It’s hard to get complete figures, but it’s fair to say that monarchism is a niche pursuit in France – that anniversary service in Saint-Denis usually attracts around 400 people. 

Nevertheless, polling in 2019 suggested that around 17 percent of French people would be open to the idea of a restoration of the monarchy.

Those who vote right or far-right are most likely to want to restore the monarchy, with 2016 polling finding 37 percent of Le Pen supporters in favour and 27 percent of supporters of the centre right party.

At present the closest France has to a king is the president – a role that under the current constitution gives wide-ranging powers to the man (and it has always been a man so far) in the top job.

The current incumbent, Emmanuel Macron, once referred to the French as “a nation of regicidal monarchists” – referring to the constant desire to have a strong leader but generally hating whichever leader they do have. 

What do they want? 

Even the most die-hard monarchists are not arguing for a return to the ancien regime, in which the king had virtually unlimited power.

Most monarchist groups suggest a constitutional monarchy, with the systems in Spain, Belgium or the UK used as the model. In those countries the monarch has very little involvement in politics or government and mostly serves as a figurehead who performs ceremonial duties and welcomes visiting heads of state.

British royals, in particular, are very popular in France and you can expect extensive media coverage every time one of them gets married, dies or resigns and goes to live in California. 

‘The French have a taste for princes’ – Why are British royals so popular in France?

Who do they want?

There’s also the question of who, exactly, would become the new monarch, since royal succession is a disputed field, largely based on who you count as the ‘last’ king of France. 

There are currently three people who are considered to have credible claims – the Duke of Vendôme, known as Jean IV by his followers, is descended from Louis-Philippe, who reigned from 1830 to 1848 as the ‘restored’ king before being overthrown. Jean IV generally commands the most support from the various royalist groups.

Louis de Bourbon, Duke of Anjou (Louis XX to his followers) is a direct descendant of Louis XIV. Several members of his family came out in support of the extreme right candidate Eric Zemmour in the 2022 elections. 

And finally Jean-Christophe Napoléon, aka Prince Napoléon, descends from Napoléon Bonaparte’s brother Jerôme as well as the Emperor Napoléon III, the final sovereign before the Third Republic put an end to monarchy in France for good.

READ ALSO The 3 rivals who all claim the French throne

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POLITICS

What does the new government mean for foreigners in France?

France at last has a new government and one of its four main aims is to "control immigration and promote integration" - so what is this likely to mean for foreigners in France, or those hoping to move here some day?

Published: 20 September 2024 10:36 CEST
What does the new government mean for foreigners in France?

After two weeks of intense negotiation, on Thursday evening newly-appointed prime minister Michel Barnier announced that he had succeeded in forming a government.

 He also laid out his four main priorities;

  • Improve the standard of living for the French and the workings of public services, especially schools and healthcare
  • Guarantee security, control immigration and improve integration
  • Encourage businesses and agriculture and build upon the economic attractiveness of France
  • Get public finances under control and reduce debt

He is set to give his Discours de politique générale on October 1st – this is the traditional speech that a prime minister makes laying out the main policy aims of their government.

So what is this likely to mean for foreigners living in France?

Obviously some of these things will have the same effect on foreigners as any other residents of France, since we all use the same healthcare and education systems.

The first challenge for the new government will be a budget that, as Barnier says, “gets public finances under control”. France is facing a ballooning deficit and the threat of a downgrade from ratings agencies if it cannot get spending under control.

Barnier said earlier in the week that he is “discovering that the country’s budgetary situation is very serious” – most people interpreted this as preparing to announce tax hikes.

No details of these plans have been released, but it is thought likely that extra taxes will be on business and the super-rich rather than any increase in income tax or VAT.

Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Renaissance group briefed the press that one of their conditions for joining the new government was a pledge that any tax increases would not target “the middle classes or working French people”.

Immigration

But the strand of government that is most likely to affect foreigners in France, or those hoping to move here some day, is the pledge to “control immigration and promote integration”.

Again there is no detail on this, but the French government’s most recent bill to “promote integration” introduced language tests for certain types of residency card, while raising the language standard required for other processes.

We know that Barnier himself is strongly to the right on the topic of immigration – in his unsuccessful 2022 bid for the Les Républicains presidential nomination he called for a total moratorium on all immigration into France from non-EU countries.

Barnier said he would organise a referendum if elected, asking voters to approve constitutional changes and the ability of parliament to set immigrant quotas each year.

The exact composition of the new government has not been revealed – it is expected “before Sunday” – but we do know that Barnier has appointed several ministers from within the Les Républicains party.

These are reported to include Bruno Retailleau, who sparked outcry with his comments about immigrants in the context of the 2022 riots.

Speaking about the rioters who were arrested, 90 percent of whom were French citizens, he said: “OK, they’re French, but these are French people in their official identity, and unfortunately for the second and third generations (of immigrants), there is a sort of regression towards their ethnic roots.”

Clearly for some politicians, you can never be integrated enough.

New laws?

Although it’s far too early to think of any specific policies – and the government may not last long enough to actually see any laws passed – the debate around France’s recent immigration bill does provide some clues about the goals of right-wing politicians.

The Immigration law that finally passed in January changed – among other things – conditions for certain types of residency card and introduced expanded language tests, a civics test and a declaration of allegiance to ‘French values’ for foreigners living here.

READ ALSO What changes under France’s new immigration bill

However as the bill progressed through parliament, many right-wing lawmakers attempted to add amendments to toughen it up. In the end, most of the amendments were either voted down in parliament or struck out later by the Constitutional Council, but they do provide a guide to right-wing goals.

Among the rejected amendments were;

Migration quotas – the original bill contained nothing about migration quotas, but a section on this was added in the Senate (which is controlled by Les Républicains). The amendment was vague, setting out only the principle that parliament can set migration quotas – the wording of the text talked about ‘economic migration’, suggesting that these quotas would apply only to people coming to France to work, not students or retirees. The quotas would not affect asylum seekers or people arriving on a family reunification visa.

It called for parliament to have an annual debate on migration, with the ‘objective’ of setting quotas or numbers.

This was one of many amendments that was eventually struck out by the Constitutional Council – although on procedural grounds, not because of its content.

Healthcare restrictions – currently undocumented foreigners who are in France for more than three months are entitled to basic healthcare under the Aide medicale de l’Etat, with costs reimbursed by the State for hospital treatment and medication. The amendment proposed a complete ban on this for anyone who is undocumented or in an irregular immigration situation.

Benefit restrictions – currently foreigners in France can qualify for benefits such as housing allowance or certain family benefits after they have been resident for six months, the amendment aimed to increase the qualification period to five years.

Expelling radicalised foreigners – the law that was eventually passed makes it easier to expel radicalised foreigners by removing certain protections, including the restriction that people who came to France aged 13 or under cannot be expelled once they reach adulthood. The amendment aimed toughen this up still further by allowing the expulsion not just of people who are on terror watchlists, but of people who have “committed a grave and deliberate violation of the principles of the French Republic”.

Toughen asylum rules – various amendments aimed to make it easier to expel failed asylum seekers by reducing the amount of time for appeals and allowing a notice to quit the country to be served as soon as a first application is rejected.

Limit family reunification rights – rules around foreigners in France being joined by spouses or family members would also be tightened up under the amendment, with a minimum stay of 24 months before you can be joined by a spouse or family member, and extra financial requirements.

French citizenship for children born in France – currently children who are born in France to foreign parents are automatically given the right to French citizenship once they reach 18 under the droit du sol principle (although in order to do anything practical like get a passport or ID card they still need to apply for a naturalisation certificate). Several amendments proposed that this no longer be an automatic right and children must “express their will” to get citizenship – presumably through an extra admin procedures.

All the immigration measures listed above would apply to non-EU nationals – anyone who needs a visa or carte de séjour to spend more than three months in France.

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