Tiago Rodrigues, director of the Avignon Festival, calls for a “barrier against the extreme right” in French legislatures, when polls admit an absolute majority for the National Union.
Director Tiago Rodrigues, director of the Avignon Festival, called for a “barrier against the extreme right” in the early legislative elections in France, when polls admit an absolute majority for Marine Le Pen’s National Union party.
“As director of the Avignon Festival, I assume my share of responsibility, encouraging everyone to vote and defend democracy in the next elections,” said this Friday the Portuguese director, who has directed the most recognized theater festival in France since last year. . the world.
“To live up to our responsibility and our values is to oppose the extreme right and vote democratically, following our conscience,” he added, quoted by the sceneweb.fr portal.
The two rounds of the legislative elections take place on June 30 and July 7, coinciding with the holiday, which begins on June 29 and lasts until July 21.
“We define ourselves as a civic, popular, republican and democratic party, and we encourage the public, employees and artists who can vote to do so,” added Tiago Rodrigues.
The director assured that he will cooperate with the authorities so that “the successful celebration of the festival is fully compatible with the successful celebration of the elections and maximum participation.”
For Tiago Rodrigues, the festival, in the current “convulsive context of French politics” after the dissolution of the National Assembly by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, “is more necessary than ever.”
“At a time when we are witnessing a very polarized society, where discourse is very simplified, the Avignon Festival can help maintain the diversity of discourse, the capacity for debate and the fertile wealth of democratic dissent,” he stated.
The festival, he stated, “offers the public a collective experience that creates social cohesion and allows dialogue with different points of view on theater and the world.”
In recent days, several artists, performing arts unions and festivals have opposed the far right, sceneweb.fr reports.
A survey published this Friday gives the National Union – currently led by Jordan Bardella but which maintains the figure of Marine Le Pen, considered the leader of the French extreme right – between 250 and 300 deputies in the future National Assembly (lower house of parliament French). , which would represent a scenario between relative majority and absolute majority (289 mandates).
Emmanuel Macron indicated last week that he ruled out resigning, whatever the result of the legislative elections.
His decision to call early legislative elections after the failure of his party, Renaissance, in the European elections on June 9 against the National Union, which obtained twice as many votes, was criticized even within his political camp.
Source: Observadora
