French far right looks for Charlie Kirk moment after activist’s killing

 

French far right looks for Charlie Kirk moment after activist’s killing

Following the killing of 23-year-old activist Quentin Deranque in February 2026, the French far right is leveraging the event as a pivotal "Charlie Kirk moment" to delegitimize the left and frame their movement as a victim of political violence.

 

Key Context of the "Charlie Kirk Moment"

The Reference: The term refers to the September 2025 shooting death of American ultraconservative activist Charlie Kirk in the United States.

Political Framing: Former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin warned that this moment is being used to portray the "triumphant far right as a victim" and to marginalize segments of the political spectrum.

The Killing: Quentin Deranque was fatally beaten during a brawl between far-right and hard-left activists in Lyon on February 12, 2026; he succumbed to his injuries on February 14.

Suspects: Eleven people have been arrested, including two aides to a lawmaker from the hard-left party France Unbowed (LFI).

National Response: Jordan Bardella, president of the National Rally (RN), has declared that "the far left has killed," using the incident to demand bans on extremist groups and boost his party's mainstream credibility ahead of 2027 presidential elections.

Rallies: Marches are planned today in Lyon and other cities in memory of Deranque.

Security Alert: President Emmanuel Macron has called for calm, and Interior Minister Laurent Nunez has authorized an "extremely large police deployment" to prevent clashes between extremist groups during these rallies.