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The Jeune Garde Antifasciste (English: Antifascist Young Guard), commonly known as Jeune Garde, is an illegal, French, far-left militant antifascist collective founded in 2018. The organization focused on opposing far-right, nationalist, and neo-Nazi movements in France. It was dissolved by the French government in June 2025 following accusations of inciting violence.[1]
The Jeune Garde was founded in January 2018 in Lyon by Raphaël Arnault in response to activities by the far-right organization Bastion Social, which was later dissolved in 2019. The group promoted an antifascist approach that aimed to operate openly and maintain cooperation with left-wing political organizations and social movements.[citation needed]
The organization expanded beyond Lyon beginning in 2019, establishing local sections in Strasbourg, Paris, Lille, and Montpellier. By 2025, French authorities estimated that the collective had approximately 100 active members.[citation needed]
In September 2021, Arnault was assaulted by members of the far-right group Zouaves Paris at Paris-Gare-de-Lyon station. The incident contributed to increased mobilization by the collective. In October 2021, Jeune Garde participated in demonstrations in Lyon against far-right violence alongside trade unions, political parties, and activist organizations.[citation needed]
In February 2022, members of the collective attended an antifascist conference in Strasbourg that was attacked by individuals linked to Strasbourg Offender.[citation needed]
Arnault later resigned as spokesperson of the Lyon section in 2022 to run in parliamentary elections. In 2024, he was elected as a deputy representing Vaucluse and joined the parliamentary group of La France insoumise.[citation needed]
Dissolution
On 29 April 2025, French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau announced the launch of dissolution proceedings against Jeune Garde. On 12 June 2025, the group was officially dissolved by the Council of Ministers, alongside the far-right group Lyon Populaire.[citation needed]
The government justified the dissolution by accusing the organization of provoking and engaging in violent actions against individuals. The decision had been supported by far-right political figures, including Marine Le Pen, while it was criticized by several left-wing politicians and civil liberties organizations.[citation needed]
Arnault announced plans to challenge the dissolution before France’s highest administrative court. Human rights organizations such as the Ligue des droits de l’homme also supported legal challenges. As of early 2026, legal proceedings remained ongoing, with delays criticized by the parliamentary group of La France insoumise.[citation needed]
Criticism and Controversies
Jeune Garde faced criticism from both political opponents and segments of the antifascist movement.[citation needed]
Some antifascist groups accused the organization of insufficiently addressing racism or failing to adopt a broader critique of capitalism and state institutions. The Groupe antifasciste Lyon et environs described the collective’s approach as overly moderate.[citation needed]
Conservative media outlets and right-wing political figures accused the organization of violent militancy. Individual members were convicted or investigated in cases involving assaults and controversial online statements. Arnault himself was convicted in 2022 for group violence related to an incident in 2021.[citation needed]
The organization also faced accusations from feminist antifascist activists alleging internal misconduct and violent behavior toward female activists.[citation needed]
Relations with La France insoumise
Contacts between Jeune Garde and La France insoumise began in 2022 and became public in 2023 when party leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon and other LFI representatives participated in the collective’s summer camp. Although Arnault was elected to parliament under a broader left-wing alliance, the collective maintained organizational independence. Some members were reported to have participated in event security at political meetings involving left-wing candidates.[citation needed]
In 2025, Mélenchon publicly described the organization as an allied movement to LFI, which contributed to political controversy regarding the group’s legitimacy and activities.[citation needed]
Organization and Composition
The collective was composed of activists from multiple ideological backgrounds within the French radical left. Its membership included individuals affiliated with organizations such as the Mouvement jeunes communistes de France, the Nouveau Parti anticapitaliste, the Parti de gauche, and anarchist groups.[citation needed]
According to political scientist Jean-Yves Camus, most members came from anarchist-libertarian activist circles. The group’s militants were mainly based in Lyon, Strasbourg, Lille, and Paris.[citation needed]
↑Stevens, Peter. "Conservative Activist Dies After Being Beaten by Masked Far-Left Mob In France." Great Britain News, 15 February 2026 AD, www.gbnews.com/news/world/conservative-activist-killed-after-antifa-attack-in-france. Accessed 17 February 2026 AD.
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