French Popular Party
Parti Populaire Français |
|
---|---|
Official Leader | Jacques Doriot |
General Secretary | Victor Barthélemy |
Founded | June 28, 1936 |
Dissolved | February 22, 1945 |
Split from | French Communist Party |
Headquarters | Paris, France |
Newspaper |
L'Émancipation nationale Le Cri du Peuple |
Youth wing | Jeunesse Populaire Française |
Armed wing | Service d'Ordre |
Membership (1937) | 120,000 |
Ideology |
National syndicalism Fascist corporatism French fascism Anti-semitism |
Political position | Far-right |
National affiliation | Freedom Front (1937-1938) |
Colours | Blue, red, white |
Party flag | |
The Parti Populaire Français (French Popular Party) was a French fascist and anti-semitic political party led by Jacques Doriot before and during World War II. It is generally regarded as the most collaborationist party of France. It was founded by former members of the French Communist Party who opposed the Jews and retained their opposition towards freemasonry.
The party was formed on 28 June 1936, by Doriot and a number of fellow former members of the French Communist Party (including Henri Barbé and Paul Marion) who had moved towards nationalism in opposition to the Popular Front. The PPF initially centered around the town of Saint-Denis, of which Doriot was mayor (as a Communist) from 1930–1934, and drew its support from the large working class population in the area. Although not avowedly nationalistic at this point, the PPF adopted many aspects of social nationalist politics, imagery and ideology, and quickly became popular among other nationalists, attracting to its ranks former members of such groups as Action Française, Jeunesses Patriotes, Croix de Feu and Solidarité Française. The party held a number of large rallies following their formation and adopted as the party flag a Celtic cross against a red, white and blue background. Members wore light blue shirts, dark blue trousers, berets and armbands bearing the party symbol as a uniform, although the uniform was not as ubiquitous as in other far right movements.