“On le soutient à fond et on espère que ça va changer la France,”
That was the sharp sentiment from a supporter waiting outside on Saturday, November 14, as Rassemblement National President Jordan Bardella drew a massive crowd in Saint-Savin, Gironde, for a book-signing session for his third book, Gouverner, France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine reported.
By late morning, more than a thousand people pressed forward under steady rain to secure signatures from the far-right leader. Local elected officials and Gironde party activists mingled with eager citizens eager to catch a glimpse of the politician.
“Il faut qu’on aille jusqu’au bout, il faut qu’on gagne,”
said a man waiting in the queue, reflecting the uninhibited atmosphere among the president’s supporters.
“Comme tous les militants et les patriotes, j’ai envie de lire ce qu’il y a à l’intérieur de ce livre,”
said Edwige Diaz, an RN senator for Gironde. She added that Bardella's visit drew intense interest because the Rassemblement National consistently leads polling across Gironde during elections.
The event quickly took on the distinct tone of a presidential campaign stop. Bardella addressed various political topics while surrounded by regional party figures, looking ahead to future political hurdles.
“En 2027, le plus grand danger ce n’est pas de changer c’est de continuer comme avant,”
said Jordan Bardella, projecting confidence while flanked by local officials.
Just a few blocks away from the packed town hall, a starkly different scene played out. Around a hundred members of the Haute-Gironde branch of SOS Racisme gathered on the municipal parvis to protest the visit.
“C’est important de ne pas banaliser la venue du président d’un parti d’extrême droite sur notre territoire,”
said Sandrine Malet, a member of the anti-racism association, speaking to France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
Protesters argued that local residents should not be associated with divisive rhetoric. Demonstrators emphasized unity across working-class and immigrant communities facing shared economic hardships.
“Qu’on soit immigré, ouvrier, français de la première, deuxième ou troisième génération, on est tous embarqué dans les mêmes difficultés et c’est ensemble qu’on s’en sortira,”
Malet said.
