The Rural Alliance, led by the president of the Hunters’ Federation, launches into the European battle

D-day for the launch of The Rural Alliance, a pro-hunting list whose challenge is to go beyond and defend the terroirs, the rural way of life and agriculture.

The Rural Alliance is entering the campaign for the European elections on June 9, a list whose motto will be “Pride in our territories”. In the galaxy of the boss of hunters Willy Schraen, we find pell-mell the former rugby player Louis Picamoles, the mayor of a rural commune in Hérault, Laurent Jaoul, a breeder of fighting bulls and former director of arenas, Robert Margé, the “Queen of Arles 2021”, Camille Hoteman, ambassador of Provençal culture. We are also told of a 25-year-old farmer and rider from Poitou, a president of a professional union… but for the moment it is difficult to see clearly who will really be a candidate and who is just a friend of the cause.

The starred chef Pierre Gagnaire, announced as a candidate a few days ago, will, for example, not be on the list in the end. Around the Auvergne launch buffet – decorated with aligot – there will be candidates and supporters, who do not necessarily want to embark on an electoral adventure with the blows that have to be taken.

Not many proposals on immigration or conflicts abroad

Who says candidacy for elections, says electoral program. Willy Schraen’s goal is not to talk about hunting during the campaign. Those around him compare him to Obelix, “fell into the magic potion of hunting as a child”, so it’s a given. This is a pro-hunting list. The challenge is to go beyond: defense of terroirs, of the rural way of life, of agriculture… In the viewfinder: ecologists and “European standards which complicate life”. Willy Schraen recognizes that he will not necessarily have many proposals on immigration or the conflicts in Ukraine or the Middle East.

To embark on the adventure, it was necessary to create a political party, The Rural Alliance, to be able to garner memberships and above all collect donations in order to finance the campaign, even if it is not intended to be too expensive. There should be no meetings, just trips to the field and support from the internet. The site https://alliancerurale.fr/ will be launched this afternoon, the social media accounts are ready. “We leave early because we need word of mouth in the rural world,” confides the candidate. Its objective is to exceed 3% to be reimbursed, and “the Graal” for him “would be to make more than 5% to have a few elected officials”.