By Miren Garaicoechea
“None of the other candidates speaks like him about the land. He knows it, he came from it. » Martin Suquilbide, 62, breeder with 200 dairy ewes, is mayor of one of the three villages in the green Aldudes valley, west of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. In these low-altitude mountains where nearly 1,000 inhabitants live, Jean Lassalle, 3.13% of the votes nationally, more than double 2017 (1.21%), was by far the most popular in the first turn of the presidential election, Sunday, April 10.
Member of the constituency, the candidate does not come from the Basque Country, but from neighboring Béarn, ” country “ distinct, with whom the rivalry has been going on for a long time. Many were convinced by his tireless work as a mountain salesman, defending the rural economy and fighting to open up the countryside.
As the D948 sinks inside the French Basque Country, the score of the deputy for the constituency climbs. In about ten kilometers, it goes from 35.7% in Banca, upstream of the valley, to 40.3% in Aldudes, to reach 41.8%, finally, in Urepel. Further south, west or east is Spain.
“Simple and affordable” candidate
In the Aldudes valley, with its white houses dotted with red or green half-timbering, the colors of the Basque flag, the church bell rings every half hour, day and night. Mass is said in Euskara, the Basque language. The schools are bilingual French-Basque. The national sport is neither football nor even rugby, but Basque pelota. Seven courts are dedicated to it.
“Radios and televisions denigrated Jean Lassalle, perhaps because he comes from a rural area? But he deserves respect. Martin Suquilbide des Aldudes
In May, 200 cows will be branded in Urepel before going to graze on the Spanish side of Navarre. Every year, until the arrival of the Covid-19, Jean Lassalle came to attend the event, relates Martin Suquilbide. The unlabeled mayor of Aldudes feels listened to by this candidate “simple and affordable”. “Radios and televisions denigrated him, perhaps because he comes from a rural area? But he deserves respect.” he gets annoyed.
Between the price of meat on the decline and that of animal feed “exploding”, “the pressure is enormous” for farmers, deplores the mayor. The price of fuel may be cheaper at the Spanish border, ten minutes away, Martin Suquilbide refuses to go and refuel there. “We went twenty years without a fuel station or grocery store. So I prefer to pay more and keep the gas station nearby. »
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