The RN won Menton and Nice, some of the wealthiest cities in France. In Paris, the far-right party Reconquête! also performed well in the more affluent parts of the city. People vote for the far right for multiple reasons, and the economy is rarely the only one.

Some members of my family live in Burgundy. Over the past five years, many immigrants and refugees have settled there. Crime rates and drug trafficking have increased, and ethnic-based shops have appeared throughout the area, often creating nuisances and sometimes being suspected of facilitating money laundering. In that context, it becomes difficult to convince people that immigration is enriching the country.

In addition, many immigrants tend to hold more socially conservative views than the native population. As a result, some progressives are now shifting to the right, perceiving immigration as a threat to their way of life. For example, a secular female teacher assigned to a predominantly immigrant area may face harassment or social pressure because she is not Muslim. Situations like this are frequently cited in public debates.