France’s polarised road to 2027: Repression, racism and the rise of the far right

A racist attack in Trappes has intensified concerns that France’s political rhetoric and the rise of the far right could increase hostility towards minority communities ahead of the 2027 presidential election. The suspect admitted targeting people he considered Muslim, African or North African, and the town’s mayor argued that repeated dehumanising language helps make such communities targets.

The attack killed 26-year-old Pengo Bossio Wangi and injured seven others, including a 12-year-old girl. Investigators found a copy of *Mein Kampf* and stickers referencing the National Rally at the suspect’s home; he said he wanted to avenge shopkeepers whose businesses had been looted. The article also cites eight deaths in France since 2022 linked to far-right activists and says only about 20 far-right identity groups have been banned during Emmanuel Macron’s presidency.