News

Supporters of Brittany reunification hold talks with members of the Pays de la Loire Regional Council

The pro-Breton camp has criticized pro-Loire ‘propaganda’ and the lack of recognition for the ‘Breton territorial question’ · Meanwhile, the regional president has described the substitution of the regional flag for the Breton flag as an act of ‘vandalism’.

Members of 44=Breiz and Bretagne Réunie staged a protest last weekend to coincide with the first session of the Youth Regional Council in Nantes (Naoned, in Breton). As representatives of the organizations met with members of the Council, the official flag of the Pays de la Loire region was replaced with the Gwenn-ha-Du (“white-and-black”, the Breton flag) and stickers with the words “Loire-Atlantique=Bretagne” and “Danger: Ligériose” (referring to the adjective “ligérien” used in advertising campaigns promoting the identity of the Pays de la Loire region) were displayed.

After the protest the president of the Pays de la Loire region, Jacques Auxiette, announced that he would be taking legal action “against violent acts perpetrated by a group of activists in the name of the Breton cause [...] who claim to give us lessons in democracy and attack public buildings”, Ouest France reported.

According to Agence Bretagne Presse, the meeting was arranged to inform councillors about the ‘Breton territorial question’ and to express the need for greater consultation.

The area traditionally known as Brittany is currently split between two different administrative regions, Brittany and the Loire-Atlantique département in the Pays de la Loire region. According to supporters of Brittany reunification, two thirds of the population of the Loire-Atlantique département are also in favour. Both the Regional Council of Brittany and the General Council of the Loire-Atlantique have voted in favour, but certain politicians are against the idea, such as the Mayor of Nantes, Jean-Marc Ayrault.

Further information:

  • Letter from Bretagne Réuni to the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy [pdf]