Renowned historian and French Resistance figure Marc Bloch will be honored with interment in the Panthéon, a mausoleum reserved for France’s most distinguished citizens. The ceremony, taking place on Tuesday, recognizes Bloch’s contributions as a scholar and his bravery during World War II, where he was captured and executed by the Gestapo in 1944. This tribute is particularly noteworthy given its timing, occurring less than a year before France’s presidential election. The event has taken on political weight as Marine Le Pen and her National Rally party are currently strong contenders for power. Some view the honoring of Bloch, a staunch defender of the Republic, as a deliberate statement against the far-right’s ideology. FRANCE 24’s Marc Perelman reports on the significance of this historical recognition within the current political climate.