French right pushes for national tribute to film star Brigitte Bardot

French right-wing figure Éric Ciotti has called for a national commemoration of film legend Brigitte Bardot, sparking objections from political opponents on the left.

“France has a duty to honor its Marianne,” Ciotti said, referring to the French emblem of liberty whose face Bardot was chosen to represent in the 1960s.

Bardot died on Sunday at the age of 91. The petition started by Ciotti has since collected more than 23,000 signatures and gained the support of some allies on the far right.

However, Socialist leader Olivier Faure pointed out that national respect was for “extraordinary services to the nation”. Faure argued that Bardot was an iconic actress but also “turned her back on republican values.”

Bardot has been hailed by President Emmanuel Macron as the “legend of the century” who represents a free life, and Ciotti, leader of the right-wing UDR party, has called for her to be given a national send-off.

Ciotti said France should recognize a woman who brought extraordinary international recognition to her country and actively helped in the fight for women’s freedom and abortion rights.

Meanwhile, Nice mayor Christian Estrosi announced that his city will name an “iconic venue” in Bardot’s honour.

But Bardot is destined to be as controversial in her death as she was during her life. Faure pointed out that he had been convicted five times for inciting racial hatred.

After Bardot burst onto the scene in 1956 with And God Created Woman, she appeared in nearly 50 films.

She then left the world of cinema in 1973 for a life devoted to animal welfare, living for decades in her home, La Madrague, in Saint-Tropez on the French Riviera.

However, he became known for his sympathy for the far right as well as his love for animals. While some of his remarks targeted Muslims, some of them insulted the people of the French island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean.

“How cynical is it to be moved by the plight of dolphins and yet remain indifferent to the deaths of migrants in the Mediterranean?” asked Greens MP Sandrine Rousseau on social media.

There are different types of national tributes in France.

Robert Badinter, who abolished the death penalty in France, was honored with a national moment of silence at a solemn ceremony in 2024, as was singer Charles Aznavour in 2018.

A more likely option for Bardot would be: Public farewell ceremony for rock star Johnny HallydayIn 2017, large crowds filled the streets of Paris.

Not everyone on the left is against the idea of ​​a national tribute to Bardot.

“Why not? We did this for other names, especially Johnny Hallyday,” Socialist MP Philippe Brun told French radio. “If the president decides to do this, I don’t see why we should oppose it.”

Bardot had avoided the spotlight for decades and her close friend Wendy Bouchard said she was not remotely interested in medals and ceremonies.

“He probably comes from a good place, but I’m not sure that he, who lived a life of simplicity and abstinence, would want this national respect,” he told French television.

Journalist Steven Bellery, who interviewed Bardot earlier this year, admitted that she wanted something much simpler and more intimate.

Bardot had asked to be buried at her home in La Madrague on the Riviera rather than in a public cemetery, where she feared “a mob of idiots might vandalize the graves of my parents and grandparents.”

But the town hall in Saint-Tropez said a private funeral would be held at his home as well as at the public cemetery overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

The Brigitte Bardot Foundation, which is dedicated to animal welfare, said her funeral will take place on January 7 at the Notre-Dame de l’Assomption church and will be broadcast on screens around the city.