Right-wing and left-wing politicians in France reacted differently to the death of Brigitte Bardot, a movement that generated debate about the possibility of paying a national tribute to the actress’s legacy.
Bardot died this Sunday (28), aged 91, in Saint-Tropez, in the south of France. The cause of death was not officially disclosed, according to the French press. A cinema icon in the 1950s and 1960s, she abandoned her artistic career in the 1970s and began dedicating herself mainly to defending animal rights.
According to the newspaper Le Figaropoliticians linked to the right-wing National Rally party defended a national tribute to the actress, highlighting Bardot’s role as a cultural symbol of France. Parliamentarians from the party also recalled that the actress expressed support for the party at different moments in her public career.
Deputy Éric Ciotti, president of the Union of Rights for the Republic (UDR) and ally of Réunion National, made a public appeal to President Emmanuel Macron for the French government to organize a national tribute to Bardot. In a post on social media, Ciotti stated that the actress had a profound impact on French culture.
On the left, members of the Socialist Party of France recognized Bardot’s artistic relevance for the country, but questioned the implementation of a national tribute to the actress’s legacy.
The first secretary of the Socialist Party, Olivier Faure, stated that national honors are usually reserved for personalities who have provided “exceptional services to the Nation” and mentioned what he called “controversies” associated with Bardot’s public positions outside of cinema. These controversies mainly concern political statements made by Bardot after the end of her artistic career, especially criticisms of immigration and Islam, which resulted in court convictions for “incitement to racial hatred”.
According to the French broadcaster TF1a journalist who was close to Bardot stated that she did not want solemn ceremonies or state protocols after her death, preferring a discreet and intimate farewell.
