From Red and Green Decay to “Islamo-leftism: the Counterinsurgency fantasies of the French Elite”

Abstract

Abstract During the 2022 presidential race in France, left-wing groups and leaders were systematically accused of "Islamo-leftism,” by opponents, in other words of being complicit in what is generally described as a radical Islamist project that is endangering the French Republic. In recent years, accusations of "Islamo-leftism" against groups or individuals associated with the left wing of the political spectrum have become commonplace in France. This term, initially coined by Pierre-André Taguieff in 2002, has a broader history, stretching back to the Cold War and the Colonial Era. After discussing what the narrative of Islamo-leftism encompasses, the debates surrounding it, and its social functions, this article will explain how President Emmanuel Macron and his allies have used it to impede progressive forces from significantly mobilizing against Islamophobia