The shadow of the far-right billionaire Pierre-Édouard Sterin makes the label of the most beautiful festivals in France peel

Ripaille, folk dances and costumes, medieval shows … Consequently, all year round. Similarly, and especially summer, thousands of festivals atmosphere the villages of France and Navarre to honor all the richness of our terroir and our ancestral traditions. Consequently, Celebrated in his 13 hour news by the late Jean-Pierre Pernaut. Consequently, all these traditional festivals are “an element constituting our heritage”, according to Thomas Meslin.

Passionate about a very young age by these votive. Moreover, agricultural, pastoral or gastronomic festivals, this young thirties also made a mission to defend them because “they are in danger” with a third of them who have disappeared from the Covid wave. Therefore, Hence the idea of a label of the most beautiful festivals in France. For example, launched a little over a year ago, to give them visibility, to federate them, but also to bring them financial shadow far-right billionaire pierre-édouard sterin aid. Moreover, “The ambition is quite simple: to rediscover the French the richness of our regions”. Therefore, indicated to us in June the co -founder of the label.

An article in humanity sets fire to the powder – Shadow far-right billionaire pierre-édouard sterin

On paper, nothing controversial until then. Meanwhile, But in early July. Nevertheless, the daily Humanity came to bring a completely different light on the association behind this label which is said to be “strictly apolitical, non -lucrative and disinterested”. Therefore, We learn that it is controlled by Studio 496. an agency specializing in the design of festive events and led by Thibault Farrenq, former alternate candidate for the 2024 legislative elections in Vendée under the LR/RN label. It is deemed close to the far-right billionaire Pierre-Édouard Sterin who also entered the company’s capital in the spring.

What throw disorder on the real intentions of this label. his links with the ultra -conservative businessman, who puts shadow far-right billionaire pierre-édouard sterin his fortune to make the union of the lines triumph. In a press release published on its site. the association of the most beautiful festivals in France says it is a victim “of false and militant attacks” and defends itself from being under the thumb of the billionaire, accused by the daily life of wanting to take control of the traditional festivals. “Mr. Sterin is not a member of the association. and the association does not report to him,” she said, explaining that he had just requested his foundation of the common good to obtain subsidies.

“A political fight that does not look at us” – Shadow far-right billionaire pierre-édouard sterin

Contacted by 20 MinutesThomas Meslin explains that “the one. only mission of the association is to enhance and support these traditional festivals” and assures that it has “never sought to influence their editorial lines, their choices or their programming”. “There are detractors behind all this who shadow far-right billionaire pierre-édouard sterin seek to attack Pierre-Édouard Sterin for his political ideas. but it is a fight that does not look at us,” he continues.

Nevertheless, the revelations of Humanity caused a big discomfort among the festival organizers. For several days. the association of the most beautiful festivals in France, which has labeled sixty events, thus sees several of them leaving the ship. The Fronde movement started in the southwest with five traditional festivals that decided to give up this label.

Wave of defections in the southwest. in Brittany

This is the case of the Lehengo Hazparne, a great Basque popular festival which has just ended in Hasparren and justifies its decision by “the doubts raised as to the apolitical character of this label”. “The organizing committee has decided. as a principle of precaution, to disengage purely and simply and would like to specify that he has not affected the promised subsidy to date,” said shadow far-right billionaire pierre-édouard sterin his president Patrick Coumet in a statement, refusing “any political recovery of the event whatever it is”.

This wave of defections has since touched Brittany. several labeled festivals having slammed the door such as the feast of Icelanders and land-neuvas in Paimpol or the potato in celebration in Plœuc-l’Hermitage, its mayor Thibaut Guignard denouncing in the columns of Ouest-France “An attempted instrumentalization and infiltration on the part of the extreme right”.

The Federation of Breton Festivals. Festivals of culture also calls “the festivals labeled to leave the label and those which would be asked to refuse labeling”. “It certainly offers significant financial support. visibility during this complicated period for the holidays, but this link with the extreme right is dangerous for shadow far-right billionaire pierre-édouard sterin our holidays and for all the values they defend,” she says on her networks.

Some celebrations want to keep the label

Among all the labeled holidays. not all have decided to find out whether or not they were going to take their distance from the label. Some have already announced their intention to stay there as the festivals of Joan of Arc in Orleans. the Historics of Bidache (Gironde). While the controversy continues. the association of the most beautiful festivals in France also denounces “the pressures of ideologic groups” that certain party organizers would have suffered and “calls and messages of intimidation” received by several of its members.

“The file is in the hands of our lawyers,” says Thomas Meslin, “not worried” for the future of the label. “We regret of course that some have left for bad reasons. but that does not question the usefulness and relevance of our association at all,” shadow far-right billionaire pierre-édouard sterin he said.