Éric Zemmour

Infobox Writer
name = Éric Zemmour

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imagesize =
caption = Éric Zemmour at the "Comédie du livre"
in Montpellier, France (June 1, 2008)
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birthdate = birth date and age|1958|8|31
birthplace = Montreuil, France
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occupation = essayist, journalist ("Le Figaro")
nationality = FRA
ethnicity = Jewish
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education =
alma_mater = Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris
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genre =
subject = politics, immigration, colonialism, feminism
movement =
notableworks = "Le premier sexe"
"Petit frère"
spouse =
partner =
children =
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influences = Gaullism
Bonapartism
Jean Racine (in literature)
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Éric Zemmour (born August 31, 1958) is a French political journalist and author, employed by the daily newspaper "Le Figaro".

Biography

Éric Zemmour was born in Montreuil-sous-Bois, Seine-Saint-Denis, France to Roger and Lucette Zemmour, Jewish immigrants who left their native Algeria during the country's struggle for independence. Zemmour attended École Yabn, a well-regarded Jewish high school in Paris, which reportedly left a lasting impact on his self-view. [ [http://www.worldjewishdigest.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=81E34D0AC90D4601B0A9F31C3F2D3009&nm=More+Articles&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=C78561233C9F4CF8B870577A5E514040 Excuse His French by Bernard Edinger] ]

After graduating from the Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris, Zemmour made two unsuccessful attempts to gain admission to the École nationale d'administration. [ [http://www.surlering.com/article.php/id/4646 « Interview d'Éric Zemmour (seconde partie) »] , "Le ring".] He took a job instead with Le Quotidien de Paris, under the leadership of its founder Philippe Tesson. His next position was as editorialist at Info-Matin, a newly-founded French daily. He was also a contributor to "Globe Hebdo", a weekly newsmagazine, before joining "Le Figaro" as a political columnist in 1996.

He has written biographies of Jacques Chirac ("L'homme qui ne s'aimait pas") and Édouard Balladur ("Balladur, immobile à grands pas") as well as numerous political essays. In 2006, he published the best-selling "Le premier sexe", an essay on what he considers the feminization of society. During the same year, Zemmour also co-wrote the award-winning film Dans la peau de Jacques Chirac.

Beginning in September 2006, he began appearing on the Saturday evening France 2 show "On n'est pas couché", hosted by Laurent Ruquier. In addition, he is a weekly panelist on "Ça se dispute", a current affairs show appearing on I-Télé.

In 2006, Zemmour was a member of the admissions committee of the École nationale d'administration [ [http://prepena.sciencespobordeaux.fr/IMG/doc/infojuryENA2006.doc ENA 2006] on Science Po Bordeaux website] , a panel which had twice rejected him for admission. [ [http://www.surlering.com/article.php/id/4646 Zemmour's interview] on Maurice G. Dantec's website]

Political views

Antiliberalism

As a French conservative, he expressed sympathy with the views of Jean-Pierre Chevènement's Citizen and Republican Movement in the 2002 presidential election.Fact|date=January 2008 He considers himself Gaullist and Bonapartist, and places himself in a profoundly anti-liberal (economically and socially) portion of the French right. He also considers himself to be a reactionary, in that he considers his views to be a reaction to a society that dismantles the social order, especially family and tradition, in the pursuit of a false goal: liberating the individual, who only finds himself isolated and reduced to the status of consumer. He claims subversiveness for the right-wing, claiming that the progressives now dominant in French culture and media can no longer claim to be critics of the established order, because they have become the established order. [« Immigration : le réel interdit » in "Le Monde", October 12, 2007]

His antiliberalism also causes him to oppose European federalism. [interview with François Bayrou on "On n'est pas couché", December 1, 2007] He considers Europe to be profoundly liberal and out of step with the French social order. He also believes that within a European community, the political right and left are forced to advocate "the same economic policy, social liberalism or liberal socialism", ["Ça se dispute", September 2007] since, in the words of Philippe Séguin, "right and left are outlets of the same wholesaler, Europe." [Interview with François Bayrou on "On n'est pas couché", December 1, 2007]

Anti-human rightsism

Zemmour regularly takes positions that he describes as "anti-human rightsism", placing him in opposition to many politicians (including Bernard Kouchner), intellectuals (including Bernard-Henri Lévy), and organizations advocating humanitarian intervention, which Zemmour considers to be a form of neo-colonialism.Fact}

Immigration

Zemmour is an advocate of traditional French assimilationism, and is staunchly opposed to "mass" immigration brought on by family reunification and to the current process of integrating immigrants which he considers too lenient towards them. He has frequently declared that he is in favour of assimilation, even if this makes him "neurotic". He is also in favour of the Thierry Mariani amendment, which would require people wishing to immigrate to France on the basis of family reunification to prove their relationship via DNA testing. ["Ripostes", September 23, 2007] He is frequently criticized for his pronouncements on immigration and his attacks on certain organizations (including SOS Racisme). [SOS Racisme : « D’une époque à l’autre » in "Le Monde, September 29, 2007]

Anti-feminism

In "Le Premier sexe", he accuses modern feminists of wanting to "castrate" men and accuses their movement of bringing negative consequences upon society (including the loss of the notion of authority). Declaring that the role of fathers is very different of that of mothers, he has alienated, besides feminists, men disputing his vision (including actor Francis Huster). He accuses these opponents of being demagogues obsessed with political correctness and ignoring the history of French society and the works of Sigmund Freud. Others, including author Franz-Olivier Giesbert, have lauded his views. [ [http://www.tv5.ca/horaire-television/details-emission/41/9839_EricZemmourFrancisHuster.html "Tout le monde en parle", March 18, 2006] ] .

Books authored

* "Balladur, immobile à grands pas", Grasset, 1995 ISBN 2246489717
* "Le Livre noir de la droite", Grasset et Fasquelle, 1998 ISBN 2246562511
* "Le Coup d'État des juges", Grasset et Fasquelle, 1998 ISBN 2246525519
* "Le Dandy rouge", Plon, 1999 ISBN 2259190588
* "Les Rats de garde" (co-authored with Patrick Poivre d'Arvor), Stock, 2000 ISBN 2234052173
* "L'Homme qui ne s'aimait pas", Balland, 2002 ISBN 2715814089
* "L'Autre", Denoël, 2004 ISBN 2207254968
* "Le Premier sexe", Denoël, 2006 ISBN 2207257444
* "Petit frère", Denoël, 2008 ISBN 2207256685

Notes