Symbolism should seldom be underestimated, especially in a political context. This aphorism has recently resurged during the process of the French presidential election of 2012. In a bid for gaining the trust of voters with nationalistic sentiments French President Nicolas Sarkozy visited the town of Domrémy in Lorraine in January. The reason for his visit was no other than the 600^th birthday of Joan of Arc, the virgin born in Domrémy who commanded the French army against the English invaders.

Joan of Arc possesses immense importance for many a Frenchman keen to feel pride of the French nation. However, in later years the virgin has been used by the National Front (Front National), a far-right political party, as its figurehead. The National Front has expressed criticism against the current policy of immigration and French participation in the European Union and thus, Joan of Arc serves the purpose of symbolizing the party’s interest in safeguarding French identity. Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Front, hopes to challenge the current President in the upcoming presidential election in a time when the opinion polling for Mr. Sarkozy does not seem to favour his continued holding of the office. In order to prevent Le Pen’s using of Joan of Arc for her campaign and gain some voters from the far-right, the President therefore decided to honour the virgin’s birthday.

It is not the first time national symbols become contested artefacts in modern French political history. When the municipality Vouneuil sur Vienne erected a monument to commemorate the medieval battle of Poitiers which halted the Arab military advance into Christian Europe it did not foresee that the site would quickly gain the attention of the National Front. Far-right meetings have been held at the monument where criticism against immigrants and Moslems in particular has been expressed by the participants. Despite the fear of the site’s potential to spark hostility against Moslem inhabitants in France it has been impossible to prohibit the meetings since they are held in a place open to the public.

The importance for Mr. Sarkozy of breaking the far-right’s monopoly on the virgin has to be seen in the context of the presidential election of 2002, when Le Pen’s father, Jean-Marie of the National Front, succeeded in reaching the second ballot where he stood alone against the candidate Jacques Chirac. France was shamed by this turn of event on the international arena and it is therefore a scenario which most people in France are reluctant to experience once more.