Brigitte Bardot, icône du cinéma français des années 1960, a fait l’objet de multiples controverses en raison de ses positions politiques et de ses déclarations jugées racistes. L’ancienne actrice, devenue militante pour la cause animale, a été condamnée à plusieurs reprises pour incitation à la haine raciale, notamment pour des propos tenus à l’encontre des musulmans et des Réunionnais.
Dans sa belle jeunesse Brigitte Bardot était portant une star symbolisant l’émancipation totale de la femme. Elle a contribué à la liberation des moeurs et à une plus grande liberté sexuelle.
Support for Marine Le Pen
Expressing explicit support for Marine Le Pen and the Front National, Bardot praised the far-right leader’s desire to « take back control of France » and « reinstate borders ». She controversially compared her own political stance to Le Pen’s, claiming neither of them were « fascist ». This alignment with the far-right party has been viewed as a significant departure from Bardot’s earlier public image, contributing to her reputation for adopting contentious political positions in her later years.
Immigration and Multiculturalism Views
Expressing critical views on Islam in France and racial mixing, Bardot’s statements have been widely considered controversial and polarizing. Her comments on immigration and multiculturalism have led to multiple legal issues, including a 1998 conviction for « incitement to racial hatred » and « racial defamation » following remarks about the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha. These positions mark a stark contrast to her earlier image as a symbol of liberation in the 1950s and 1960s, highlighting a shift towards more conservative and contentious ideologies in her later years.
Authoritarian Regime Advocacy
Advocating for a more authoritarian approach to governance, Bardot controversially stated that France needs to implement an authoritarian regime to restore the country’s glory and ensure public safety. She specifically cited the need to address terrorism concerns as a justification for this drastic shift in governance. This call for authoritarian rule represents a significant departure from democratic principles and has been viewed as an extreme position, further contributing to perceptions of Bardot’s intellectual decline and increasingly contentious political stances.
Racial Defamation Cases
Multiple instances of racial defamation have marked Bardot’s later years, resulting in legal consequences. In 1998, she was fined 20,000 francs for comments about Eid al-Adha, linking the ritual slaughter of sheep to massacres in Algeria. More recently, in 2021, Bardot faced a 20,000 euro fine for racially insulting Réunion Islanders, referring to them as « natives who have kept their savage genes » in a 2019 letter to the prefect. These cases highlight a pattern of controversial statements targeting specific ethnic and religious groups, further tarnishing Bardot’s public image and demonstrating a departure from her earlier status as a cultural icon.
