In Paris, a lesser-known European Parliament member named Sarah Knafo is gaining recognition within the French far-right movement, distinct from the prominent figure Marine Le Pen. Knafo, an advocate for cryptocurrency and supporter of tech mogul Elon Musk, is an influential figure in Reconquest, a nationalist party with anti-Islam beliefs led by former presidential candidate Eric Zemmour. Knafo, at 31, and Zemmour, at 66, were among the French representatives at U.S. President Trump's inauguration event on January 20.
The more established National Rally party, led by Le Pen, opted to send a delegation rather than attending personally. Le Pen, focused on distancing her party from racist and anti-Semitic elements, has been cautious about aligning too closely with Trump, who lacks popularity in Western Europe.
Contrastingly, Knafo, breaking free from Zemmour's influence, is championing Reconquest's agenda by aligning with aspects of Trump's political ideology, emphasizing tech advancement, pro-business policies, and national identity defense. Knafo distinguishes Reconquest from the larger RN party led by Zemmour, which advocates for extreme measures to preserve French identity.
Acknowledging the challenge of promoting Trump's techno-conservatism in France, where welfare policies are valued over disruptive libertarianism, Knafo believes Trump's ideology does not fully align with Le Pen's de-demonization stance. Le Pen's recent statements suggest a shift in her reluctance towards Trump, hinting at potential collaboration between RN and the Trump administration.
Despite Knafo's efforts to emulate Trump's political tactics and connections with American conservative thinkers, doubts remain about the electoral viability of her Trumpian approach in French politics. Emphasizing her interactions with influential figures like Caldwell and Anton, Knafo's engagement with Trumpism principles aims to establish lasting connections with prominent figures in the U.S. political landscape, foreseeing a potential future alliance with a Trump-era representative like JD Vance.