French elections are ‘step toward’ mass Jewish immigration to Israel, aliyah pro says

By CANAAN LIDOR 

Today, 10:37 pm

Illustrative. People take part in a gathering organized by the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF) calling for the release of hostages held in Gaza since the Hamas-led October 7 attacks on Israel, at the Trocadero esplanade with the Eiffel Tower in the background in Paris, on April 7, 2024. (Thomas Samson/AFP)

The dramatic results of the first round of the parliamentary elections in France constitute “another step toward” a massive wave of immigration by local Jews to Israel, a prominent professional facilitating this movement says.

Ariel Kandel, CEO of the Quelita association for the absorption and encouragement of Jewish immigration, or aliyah, from France speaks with The Times of Israel following news that the far-right National Rally party obtained the largest share of the vote (34 percent), followed by the far-left-backed New Popular Front (28%).

The centrist Renaissance party of President Emmanuel Macron, who called the snap elections this month in a failed bid to curb the far-right’s electoral growth by uniting its rivals behind Renaissance, comes in third with only 20%.

National Rally, under its president Jordan Bardella and its top lawmaker Marine Le Pen, seeks to limit public expressions of religious worship, including by Jews, as part of the party’s anti-Muslim agenda. It also wants to end pension payments to citizens living abroad.

“This is major consideration for about 50,000 French Jews who are currently contemplating leaving,” Kandel says.

Some critics of National Rally believe it panders to antisemites, though others dispute this.

If the far-left under Jean-Luc Melenchon reaches power, “then we’re talking about an even bigger push factor,” adds Kandel, citing the position of many French Jews that Melenchon is an antisemite.

The second round of the parliamentary elections is Sunday. It is a runoff between the two top candidates of the first round. Second-round voters in many constituencies will need to choose between a far-left candidate and a far-right one. The runoff results determine the makeup of French parliament. It does not affect the presidency, but may limit the president’s ability to pass legislation and budgetary decisions.