Théo Aiolfi

theoaiolfi.bsky.social

18 June 2025 14:29

2/ In their recent and insightful work, Rojas-Andrés, Mazzolini & Custodi argue that Spain’s populist radical left short-circuited itself by drifting into cultural elitism—alienating its “natural addressees” by prioritising “identity” agendas.

Théo Aiolfi

theoaiolfi.bsky.social

18 June 2025 14:29

3/ Their remedy is a return to patriotic and national symbols to forge a majoritarian bloc. Playing the "national-popular" card, they claim, is a way to speak the language of ordinary citizens. In this view, anti-racism & queer politics fragment rather than unite "the people".

Théo Aiolfi

theoaiolfi.bsky.social

18 June 2025 14:29

4/ Whereas thought-provoking, we challenge that assumption. We claim that there is no clear pre-formed people waiting to be addressed. Populism constructs “the people” through antagonisms—and through political choices about who becomes visible.

Théo Aiolfi

theoaiolfi.bsky.social

18 June 2025 14:29

5/ Our case study is the split within La France Insoumise between @jlmelenchon.bsky.social and @francoisruffin.fr. Ruffin sought to rally what he called "les petits blancs"—"little white people" of deindustrialized and rural France: outraged citizens who have increasingly turned to the far-right.

Théo Aiolfi

theoaiolfi.bsky.social

18 June 2025 14:29

6/ To reach them, Ruffin embraced patriotic tropes, and set aside race and gender issues, seen as "divisive". This was in line with LFI’s "sovereigntist" phase: attempting to reconstruct a national-popular identity to rally dissatisfied citizens leaning toward the far-right.