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Troadec launches presidential bid, demands “official status” for “regional languages” in France
Breton mayor advocates “true regionalization” as alternative to “centralism taken to the extreme” · Election is due to take place in April, May 2017
Troadec, just as all other potential candidates, needs the support from 500 elected officials -including MPs, mayors and regional councilors, but not local councilors- in order to become an official candidate. As of today, the Régions et Peuples Solidaires Federation (RP&S), an alliance of pro-autonomy parties of stateless nations, has announced its support for Troadec.
Troadec announced in 2015 he would be touring France's stateless nations to gather support for his nomination, after rising to prominence as the leader of the Bonnets Rouges movement.
The presidential election will take place in two rounds, on 23 April and 7 May 2017. According to recent opinion polls, best placed candidates are Marine Le Pen (National Front), Alain Juppé (Les Républicains) and Emmanuel Macron (Socialist Party).
"I am for true regionalization"
In a letter explaining why he is seeking to stand as a candidate, Troadec attaches great importance to the issue of territorial organization. The Breton mayor blames the "Jacobin model, this centralism taken to the extreme," for "preventing imagination and innovative initiatives from being expressed."
Troadec proposes instead to implement "a true regionalization" giving "real powers and resources to the regions." The mayor argues those changes would benefit not only territories currently enjoying no autonomy or recognition in France -the Basque Country, Catalonia, Savoy or Occitania- but also regions such as Paris, because "autonomy would mean more democracy".