Alexandre Chauveau / Photo credits: STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / POOL / AFP
Lobbyist Thierry Coste, advisor to the National Hunters’ Federation, and the president of the National Hunters’ Federation Willy Schraen are expected to present a list for the defense of rurality in view of the European elections on June 9.
This is a candidacy that could potentially reshuffle the cards in the European elections. The lobbyist Thierry Coste, advisor to the National Federation of Hunters and the president of the National Federation of Hunters Willy Schraen should present a list for the defense of rurality in view of the elections on June 9. If the contours of the project are still vague, such a candidacy could shake up the electoral game.
A list that could weaken the National Rally
The National Rally (RN) is very anchored in the rural world, which traditionally votes more to the right than the general population. A list to defend rurality could therefore weaken the RN, to the benefit of the presidential camp. The initiative would not displease Emmanuel Macron, who maintains good relations with hunters. But Willy Schraen, the president of the National Hunters’ Federation, denies any exploitation.
“I am a free man. And so are the people on this list. They don’t need power or money, and their future is not to play politics, but to defend their ideas and their daily lives. So am I being controlled by someone? No. Have I asked anyone for their opinion? No. And there is no one who will make me change ‘opinion,’ he said.
The defense of rurality at the heart of the candidacy
Among the subjects that attract the attention of this application: the defense of hunting but also fishing, agriculture, breeding and bullfighting. An attachment to rurality defended in the past by the rurality movement called Hunting, Fishing, Nature and Tradition (CPNT) which won nearly 7% of the vote in the 1999 European elections.