<Li> Politics of France </Li> <P> The National Rally (French: Rassemblement national, RN), formerly known as the National Front (French: Front national, pronounced (fʁɔ̃ na. sjɔ. nal); FN) until 2018, is a right - wing populist and nationalist political party in France . Most political commentators place the RN on the far - right but other sources suggest that the party's position on the political spectrum has become more difficult to define clearly . Owing to the French electoral system, the party's representation in public office has been limited, despite its significant share of the vote . </P> <P> Its major policies include opposition to the French membership of the European Union, the Schengen Area and the Eurozone, economic protectionism, a zero tolerance approach to law and order issues, and opposition to free migration . As an anti-European Union party, the FN has opposed the European Union since its creation . </P> <P> The party was founded in 1972 to unify a variety of French nationalist movements of the time . Jean - Marie Le Pen was the party's first leader and the undisputed centre of the party from its start until his resignation in 2011 . While the party struggled as a marginal force for its first ten years, since 1984 it has been the major force of French nationalism . The 2002 presidential election was the first in France to include a National Front candidate in the run - off, after Jean - Marie Le Pen beat the Socialist candidate in the first round . In the run - off, he finished a distant second to Jacques Chirac . Marine Le Pen, his daughter, was elected to succeed him . In April 2017, she temporarily stepped down in order to concentrate on being the presidential candidate and to unite voters . </P>

The french national front party's platform is based on its opposition to