Action Française
Action française (AF, English: "French Action") is a French right-wing political party. The name was also given to a journal associated with the movement.
The movement and the journal were founded in 1899 in association with the Dreyfus affair. Charles Maurras became the principal ideologist. It has been described as monarchist, nationalist, integralist, corporatist, and pro-Catholic.
German historian Ernst Nolte considered it to have been first fascist (broad sense) party. Other historians have disagreed. Regardless, it has been seen as having associations with national syndicalism, in turn associated with fascism.
During the Second World War, some, but not all, members stated certain support for the pro-German French State. After the war, its newspaper was banned and Maurras was sentenced to life imprisonment. The movement nevertheless continued to exist due to new publications and political movements. Although it is not a major force as it used to be, its ideas have remained influential.
