Zemmour

Éric Zemmour is a French political journalist, essayist, and public commentator known for his outspoken views on immigration, national identity, and French sovereignty. Born in 1958 in Montreuil, he built a long career in print and television, contributing to major newspapers and appearing on television as a commentator. He gained wide attention for his provocative style and for authorship of several best-selling books that argue for a more restrictive approach to immigration and a reassertion of traditional French identity.

Zemmour began his journalism career with local and national outlets before becoming a prominent columnist for Le Figaro. He also became a well-known television figure, frequently participating in political talk shows and opinion programs. His writing and on-air persona established him as a leading voice in French conservative and anti-immigration discourse, attracting a large audience but also substantial criticism from opponents who view his rhetoric as stoking xenophobia and Islamophobia. Among his most influential works is Le Suicide Français (2014), in which he contends that contemporary France is shaped by past trauma and loss of national cohesion due to globalization and immigration.

In 2021, Zemmour founded the political movement Reconquête and announced his candidacy for the 2022 French presidential election. He contested the first-round vote, receiving a share of the electorate that positioned him as a notable, if divisive, force in French politics. He has faced multiple legal challenges related to remarks deemed by some as incitement to hatred, reflecting the ongoing controversy surrounding his rhetoric.

Zemmour remains a polarizing figure whose ideas have significantly influenced public debate on immigration and national identity in France, even as his political prospects continue to be debated.