Recent events have brought Alain Soral’s name back into the center of public debate, from revelations about Jordan Bardella’s alleged early writings to the dissolution proceedings initiated against Égalité et Réconciliation.
In this context, Ifop, on behalf of Franc-Tireur, conducted a survey of a sample of 3,092 people, representative of the French population aged 18 and older, to answer the following questions: Who knows Alain Soral? Who agrees with his ideas, watches his content, and says they are influenced by him? And what is this audience’s relationship to antisemitism?
This survey provides, for the first time, a portrait of Alain Soral’s audience and the profile of his supporters. It highlights a contrast: while he is a marginal figure in public opinion (6% of French people say they are close to his ideas), he nevertheless exerts a real influence on younger people. Among 18- to 24-year-olds who are familiar with him, nearly one in two has watched his videos, while one in three says they agree with his ideas and states that he has influenced their interest in politics.
The study also establishes a very clear link between support for Alain Soral and attitudes toward antisemitism: while 13% of French people acknowledge having some degree of antisemitism within themselves, this proportion rises to 32% among those who identify with Alain Soral’s ideas and to 49% among those who say they are “very close” to them.
KEY FIGURES
- Significant name recognition with a strong social impact
- 43% of French people say they know Alain Soral, even if only by name, and 23% know exactly who he is. He is primarily known among men (52% of men, compared to 34% of women), among those with higher education (61% of those with a master’s or doctoral degree, compared to 32% of those without a degree), and in the Île-de-France region (54% in the Paris metropolitan area, compared to 35% in rural areas).
- Support remains marginal… except among the youngest age group
- Among those who know him, 13% say they agree with his political views (including 2% who “strongly agree”), representing 6% of the French population as a whole.
- Support for his ideas is primarily a generational issue: it reaches 31% among 18- to 24-year-olds who are familiar with him and 25% among 25- to 34-year-olds, compared to 9% among 50- to 64-year-olds and 3% among those 65 and older. It peaks at 34% among men under 35.
- It is also stronger among working-class groups (22%, compared to 13% in higher socioeconomic categories), among far-right supporters (24%, including 23% of National Rally supporters), and among La France Insoumise supporters (19%).
- A smaller but real audience
- Nearly one in five people familiar with him (19%) “currently” watches Alain Soral’s videos on YouTube (including clips or reruns), representing 8% of the French population; 13% visit the Égalité et Réconciliation website, 13% follow his X account, and 12% read his books or writings.
- This audience is young: 43% of those familiar with him who are under 35 watch his videos (51% of men under 35), compared to 4% of those aged 65 and older.
- Exposure in the past (before 2020) was similar: 15% of those familiar with him watched his videos at that time, 13% visited Égalité et Réconciliation, and 12% read his writings or followed his X account. His audience has therefore not diminished over time.
- A political influence claimed by a minority, concentrated among young people
- 9% of those familiar with Alain Soral state that his content and positions have influenced their interest in politics (representing 4% of the French population), including 2% who were “very influenced.”
- This influence is particularly significant among younger people: 34% of 18- to 24-year-olds and 24% of 25- to 34-year-olds who are familiar with him, compared to 2% of 50- to 64-year-olds and 1% of those 65 and older. He is also more commonly cited by people on the far left (21%) and the far right (14%).
- Anti-Semitism: a rare admission, but significantly more common among those close to Alain Soral
- 13% of French people admit to having some degree of anti-Semitism within them (1% describe themselves as “somewhat anti-Semitic,” 4% as “a little,” 8% “not very”), while 71% say they are not “at all” anti-Semitic and 16% prefer not to say.
- This sentiment is two and a half times more common among those who share Alain Soral’s views (32%) than in the general population, and affects nearly one in two of those who are “very close” to him (49%). It reaches 35% among current consumers of his content and 54% among those who consume it at least a few times a week.
- It is also more prevalent among 18- to 24-year-olds (24%, compared to 12% of 25- to 34-year-olds) and those without a college degree (18%, compared to 9% of those with a master’s or doctoral degree).
