Thousands to attend far-right European gathering in Mormant-sur-Vernisson, Loiret, amidst presence of 130 local residents
In the rural commune of Mormant-sur-Vernisson, Loiret, a small town with 130 inhabitants, an unprecedented event is scheduled to take place on June 9. The Grand Rally of the European far-right will be held in one of the picturesque fields bordering the settlement, offering a picturesque backdrop for influential figures such as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Spanish Vox leader Santiago Abascal, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, and Dutchman Geert Wilders. The organizers aim to attract up to 5,000 attendees to this private land event.
Known as the "Victory Festival," the gathering is a celebration of a "patriotic wave" that swept through Europe during the 2024 elections. The European Parliament group New Window The Patriots, a coalition of 17 political formations in the EU, including France's National Rally (RN), selected Mormant-sur-Vernisson as the ideal location. RN deputy Thomas Menagé boasts about his role in the process, sharing that he sought a countryside venue conveniently located near Paris.
Menagé, who convincingly won re-election in Loiret's 4th constituency last year, appreciates the allure of rural events, which can be challenging to organize but garner high approval ratings. The event serves as a platform to emphasize the presence of France beyond the capital and major cities.
The former mayor of Mormant-sur-Vernisson, Christian Charpentier, readily agreed to lend a field for the gathering, praising Menagé's assistance with farmers' European agricultural aid issues. Charpentier offers a poorly quality grass parcel of approximately 1.5 hectares for the occasion. He also admits an affinity with the organizers, as the Patriots are the only Euro-deputy group opposing Ukraine's EU membership.
While the quaint village has never before played host to such an event, resident Christian Charpentier sees no cause for concern, as the RN has a reputation for well-ordered events. Despite this optimism, a local rave party in 2011 resulted in safety concerns due to exhaustion among attendees.
The current mayor, Vincent Desrumaux, is equally focused on crowd management in public spaces, despite the event being a private affair on private land. He expresses surprise about the expected attendance and has already attended talks in the sub-prefecture of Montargis concerning the security arrangements.
In response to the event, left-wing personalities will gather in Montargis to demonstrate their opposition. The main left-wing forces, including Manon Aubry and Louis Boyard of LFI, Ian Brossat of PCF, and Sophie Binet of CGT, among others, are expected to participate. The Republican mayor of Montargis, Benoit Digeon, allows the protest to take place in his city but expresses displeasure about the nearby rally, citing the RN's distasteful ideology and fear of their potential future actions.
The choice of Mormant-sur-Vernisson reflects strategic considerations, as the remote yet accessible location offers logistical convenience, symbolic significance, controlled security, and minimal local opposition. The rally underscores the far-right's penchant for garnering attention through lesser-known settings, portraying themselves as a grassroots movement spreading influence across Europe.
The European Union's Grand Rally, scheduled to take place in Mormant-sur-Vernisson on June 9, is a significant event in the context of war-and-conflicts, politics, and general-news, given its association with the far-right and its anticipated attendance of up to 5,000 attendees. The rally, known as the "Victory Festival," is a celebration of a patriotic wave that emerged during the 2024 elections, with various influential figures from across Europe attending, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Dutchman Geert Wilders.
In the lead-up to the rally, left-wing personalities will gather in Montargis to demonstrate their opposition, highlighting these political divisions within the European Union. The main left-wing forces, including Manon Aubry and Louis Boyard of LFI, Ian Brossat of PCF, and Sophie Binet of CGT, among others, are expected to participate, underscoring the ongoing debates and conflicts within the EU regarding ideology, immigration, and EU membership for countries such as Ukraine.
