The divergence between the right and the far-right is stark, perhaps exemplified most vividly in France by Marine Le Pen and the extremist party Rassemblement National.

…from 2015 to 2017, [Jordan Bardella, the 28-year-old president of the far-right Rassemblement National party] used the pseudonym “RepNat du Gaito” on Twitter, now X, to share racist messages and celebrate Jean-Marie Le Pen, co-founder of the RN’s ancestor party the Front National (FN). The last post from that account, dated February 2017, is an obscene image mocking Théo Luhaka, a young Black man who suffered severe anal injuries from a police baton that year, in an assault for which three policemen are now on trial.

Twitter. Hold that thought.

On the right of center, one expects conservatism rooted in values unlikely to be changed, embracing open markets and closed nationalism. However, the far-right, epitomized by Le Pen’s party, takes a drastic step away from holding on to traditions towards permanent improvisation and disregard for law and order. It champions stringent immigration policies and exclusivity rhetoric that veer sharply away from democratic norms and towards dictatorship.

Here lies the chasm: while leaning right in politics means democratic principles are adhered to, the far-right threatens to end democracy, often advocating for exclusionary measures meant to harm marginalized groups and destroy regulatory integrity.

Le Pen’s Rassemblement National tries to blur lines with political camouflage in a fusion of conservative ideals and far-right nationalism, yet there’s no room for ambiguity with her love of dictatorship. It’s a reminder of the unmistakable contrast between upholding democratic values and venturing into the realm of extremism.

Back in 2022, someone in particular seemed to understand this bright line of extremism, the need to maintain the line, and tweeted about it without reservation.

And yet in 2024, after extensive evidence has surfaced of Elon Musk in communication with Nazi politicians in Germany, he now plays dumb by claiming suddenly to not understand what extreme or “far” right means.

Playing dumb in this context is rhetorical manipulation and deflection. False ignorance about what makes Le Pen “far” right means Elon Musk is downplaying and sanitizing her anti-democracy political positions.

It deflects attention away from the obviously controversial aspects of her extreme ideology, trying hard to make her appear less radical or alarming than she really is.

France’s Assemblée Nationale has banned a far-right MP from parliament for two weeks for a racist outburst after he shouted “Go back to Africa” when a black member of the lower house was speaking about migrants. Grégoire de Fournas, a member of the far-right Rassemblement National (RN), or National Rally, will also lose half his salary for two months… the most severe sanction available to the house. [House speaker] Braun-Pivet ordered the MP to leave the lower house on Friday. “We must not weaken our democracy,” she said.

Elon Musk’s tactic aims to create doubt or confusion, undermining the legitimacy of criticisms leveled against Le Pen and her party. By feigning ignorance, Musk wants the conversation to move away from substantive issues and towards minute technicalities in semantics, thereby avoiding a proper deeper examination of Le Pen’s horrible political beliefs and their dangerous implications.

1. Xenophobia and Racism: Le Pen and her party, Rassemblement National, are known for xenophobic and racist rhetoric. Their immigration hate speeches, often portrayed in terms of purity in French identity, are classified as discriminatory and exclusionary. Critics argue such rhetoric fosters division, intolerance and violent conflict within French society.
2. Authoritarianism: Another significant criticism of Le Pen is authoritarian tendencies. Her stance on security and law enforcement veer towards prioritizing control over individual liberties. Additionally, her advocacy for measures like the dissolution of certain institutions and the concentration of power in the executive branch are meant to erode democracy.
3. Economic Protectionism: Her party is characterized by protectionism and economic nationalism. Her proposals, such as withdrawing from the European Union and imposing trade barriers, would seriously harm the French economy by reducing international competitiveness and disrupting global trade relations. Moreover, her proposals to prioritize French companies and workers over foreign competitors are viewed as shortsighted and detrimental to long-term economic growth.

In contrast, Giorgia Meloni (leader of Fratelli d’Italia) has allegedly distanced her party from fascism and emphasized instead a commitment to democracy and rule of law. That being said, building ties with Le Pen undermines all of that. And the Financial Times looked at her and found “Meloni takes Italian far-right back to 1930s roots“, not to mention her open association with far-right extremist groups in America.