A decorated soldier who earned a reputation for bravery in World War I, Bucard became active in politics after 1918, initially as a member of Action française (an Integralist royalist far right group) and then as a member of the overtly fascist and antisemitic Faisceau of Georges Valois.

In September 1933, Bucard founded his own group, the Mouvement franciste - arguably the most extreme group of the time, and one financed by Benito Mussolini's government.
On 6 February 1934 the Francistes joined the other right-wing parties in the riots in front of the Palais Bourbon (a protest provoked by the Stavisky Affair, and possibly intended as a coup d'état).
Subsequently, the Popular Front government banned his movement (as well as other all other right wing 'leagues', fascist or otherwise) upon its emergence in 1936; Bucard was imprisoned briefly.
His attempt to recreate the movement as a party (Parti franciste) in 1938 was without lasting success, as it too was outlawed.
A decorated soldier who earned a reputation for bravery in World War I, Bucard became active in politics after 1918, initially as a member of Action française (an Integralist royalist far right group) and then as a member of the overtly fascist and antisemitic Faisceau of Georges Valois.
In September 1933, Bucard founded his own group, the Mouvement franciste - arguably the most extreme group of the time, and one financed by Benito Mussolini's government. On 6 February 1934 the Francistes joined the other right-wing parties in the riots in front of the Palais Bourbon (a protest provoked by the Stavisky Affair, and possibly intended as a coup d'état). Subsequently, the Popular Front government banned his movement (as well as other all other right wing 'leagues', fascist or otherwise) upon its emergence in 1936; Bucard was imprisoned briefly. His attempt to recreate the movement as a party (Parti franciste) in 1938 was without lasting success, as it too was outlawed.
Marcel Bucard