French Artists Mobilize Against Le Pen Ahead of Presidential Runoff

Over one hundred French artists, filmmakers, and musicians have signed a petition initiated by the newspaper Libération to denounce far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen ahead of the May 7 runoff. Signatories include visual artists Annette Messager, Christian Boltanski, and Orlan; actors Léa Seydoux, Jeanne Moreau, and Valeria Bruni Tedeschi; and saxophonist Archie Shepp. The cultural sector condemns Le Pen's ultraconservative policies and the risks of her victory. Filmmaker Luc Besson, typically reserved, publicly urged voters to defend France's values of liberty, fraternity, and equality. While intellectuals oppose Le Pen, they have not explicitly endorsed centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron, unlike the US artists who openly supported Hillary Clinton against Donald Trump. On May 2, over sixty cultural associations gathered at the Cité de la musique in Paris to denounce Le Pen's lack of a cultural vision. Artist Olivier de Sagazan performed a three-hour barking protest at La Défense to highlight Le Pen's aggressive rhetoric. On May 4, independent music groups will hold a 'concert républicain' at Place de la République, organized by SOS Racisme and the Union of Jewish Culture Students, to encourage voter turnout.