Rural Alliance: a party of hunters, butchers and rugby players who hate “European norms”

Willy Schrön, leader of the Rural Alliance, launched his party's campaign for next year's European elections on Tuesday. Credit : Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty

A new «rural» political party in France made up of hunters, butchers, bullfighters and rugby players has been forced to deny it is in cahoots with Emmanuel Macron to steal votes from Marine Le. Handle.

The Rural Alliance launched its campaign for next June's European Parliament elections on Tuesday in Paris.

Willy Schren, the party leader and head of France's influential hunting federation, said: «Our fight is not that of irreconcilable Gallic conscientious objectors who 'just ask to be left alone.'»

«This is to so that the “common sense of the peasant” will prevail over the European norms that are suffocating us.”

The candidates in the elections are former international rugby player Louis Picamoles, the head of the Paris Butchers Union, Véronique Langlea, and 25-year-old defender of bullfighting traditions Camille Hoteman.< /p>

Mr Schraen, a self-proclaimed champion of the «happy countryside», has come under fire over allegations that his campaign was staged to keep rural people from voting for National Rally, Ms Le Pen's right-wing populist party, which, According to the latest polls, he will lead Mr. Macron's Renaissance group by eight points. elections next June.

Willy Schraen claims the Countryside Alliance is “apolitical”; Photo: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty

Last month, Sebastien Chenu, vice-president of the National Rally, said the list was «created from scratch in an office at the Elysee Palace» to «steal 1 percent» of the votes from his party. .

The rumors arose after it became known that Thierry Coste, a lobbyist close to both Macron and Schren, was involved in creating the list.

“We don’t sell”

“ We are not the hidden soldiers of a political party,” Mr. Schraen said on Tuesday, calling the list “apolitical” and adding: “We are not selling.”

One notable absentee from the presentation was Michelin-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire, who was originally nominated as a candidate but was «too busy» in the kitchen to engage in politics, according to Mr. Schren.

< p>Gagnier, 73, who owns 16 restaurants including a lecture hall and library at Sketch in London, remains a “cause-goer” in defending the traditions that are the basis of French gastronomy.

Mr Schren insists the Rural Alliance list will protect a way of life threatened by the “anti-human extremism” of animal rights activists and environmentalists.

“If this continues, will [the fishermen] be able to hook earthworm?» he said last week. “Can we grill a prime rib steak? Will we be able to ride a horse, hunt or light a fire in the hearth? I'm not so sure. We are a list of happiness. We are here to tell the [French] administration and European technocrats to respect us.”

Mr. Gagnaire agreed, saying: «Rural life is in danger.»

Pierre Gagnaire, starred chef Michelin, supports the Rural Alliance, but is too busy to stand as a candidate. Photo: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty

In an interview with news magazine Le Point, Mr Gagnaire said: “I am apolitical, but I want to protect the quality and tradition of the territory that created us. The countryside is not old-fashioned. Of course, climate issues cannot be ignored, but this [traditional] culture is important. You can't throw it all away.»

The launch came hours after the French Parliament approved a law protecting farmers from lawsuits and complaints from new residents.

New law bars residents from using a 2021 law protecting the shared «feeling heritage» of rural areas to challenge the activities of farmers who worked there before they arrived.

“These abusive lawsuits must be radically reduced and there must be respect to those who have been there before and who know the land better than any of them,” said Eric Dupont-Moretti, Minister of Justice.

Farmers will now be protected from “people who come and want shape the earth.» countryside according to their tastes and urban habits.”

Speaking at this year's National Agricultural Show, he added: «If you don't like the countryside, stay in the city.»