More than ¾ of the French population attaches great importance to the defense of the animal cause . Whether it's our companions or farm animals, the French are sensitive to this issue and are awaiting proposals from candidates running in the imminent presidential elections.
The presidential
The main topics covered are animal rights, experimentation, breeding, hunting and fur . All the presidential candidates have declared themselves in favor of the abolition of euthanasia not justified from a medical point of view. Our pets, especially dogs, affect the population, which is mostly "for" an overhaul of the laws, in particular the legal status of our four-legged friends . Here is a focus on the favorites to supreme function.
Emmanuel Macron's position
He appears to be rather favorable to the cause but remains quite reserved on the subject . With allusions to animal welfare within his program, Emmanuel Macron has promised to abolish the sale of eggs from hens farmed in batteries by 2022. The candidate of the "En Marche" party develops an argument against farming intensive and would like to move towards export. It proposes an agricultural transformation plan considering the animal cause and modernized farms for animal and environmental concerns.
However, he nevertheless specified in one of his speeches, the need for AOC, short and intensive circuits …. Recent remarks highlight an increased sensitivity to breeders and nothing about animals, harming animal control associations.
He retains a traditional vision of maintaining presidential hunts. He further adds that he has other predominant concerns at the moment than animal health. He does not hide his lack of interest in animal suffering .
François Fillon's project
The Republican candidate François Fillon highlights the protection of our biodiversity , and presents animal welfare as a national cause . Indeed, he leans for a reinforcement of the control of the slaughterhouses. For our doggie friends, he recommends zootherapy , facilitating the presence of faithful furry companions in retirement homes.
He expresses a marked opposition to slaughter without stunning and favors special attention to be paid to wild animals . Regarding hunting, he positions himself against non-selective trapping. In addition, he wishes to obtain the agreement of the hunters to maintain their activity on Sundays and at night.
However, it continues to protect "traditional" hunts . He follows his line of conduct by despising the animal defense associations arguing the opinion of farmers in priority. Also, the balance is rather positive but its promises lack ambition.
Benoît Hamon's speech
He discussed the creation of a plan against animal suffering, particularly concerning intensive farming and their desire for profitability. Animal welfare assurance must be respected, these are his words.
He advocates the condemnation of slaughter without stunning and wants the implementation of waiting solutions, before the dialogue with the representatives of the profession, such as post-jugulatory insensitization. Regarding his positions on hunting, he is against traditional and presidential hunts and the release of animals , but he remains ambiguous because he wants the support of hunters.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon's proposals
For Jean-Luc Mélenchon , the part of his program dedicated to the animal cause is located in the chapter “ Emergency and ecological planning ”. He advocates the presence in the Constitution of an article specifying " animals are not things ". The key idea is its desire to convince local authorities for vegetarian-type menus in school canteens .
Thus, pets would benefit from a real legitimacy for their defense within a legal framework . He defended his opinion vis-a-vis the European Union to develop the research of devices of non animal experimentation, he wishes the application of ethical processes. He is committed against the mistreatment of our four-legged friends .
He wants to strengthen traffic control at customs (ports and airports) and set up a reception center for “animal victims”. As for hunting, he wants to set up round tables between environmental citizens and hunters to discuss non-selective hunting . He plans to establish Sundays without hunting and also to abolish night hunting. It highlights the suppression of underground hunting, hunting with hounds and releases.
The ideas of Marine Le Pen
The candidate Marine Le Pen , of the Front National defends the abolition of fur farms concerning minks, chinchillas and rabbits raised for their hair . She wants the introduction of free advertising slots (via the public service) to denounce the abandonment of domestic animals .
For our faithful four-legged friends, she wants to help protection associations on an international scale (like a famous festival in China resulting in the death of thousands of dogs in order to be eaten).
Regarding livestock , it also proposes extensive control of slaughterhouses, in particular via an increase in staff, it wishes the abolition of slaughter without stunning and puts forward its opinion against cage farming . However, it refuses the establishment of a reproduction and entertainment exchange project for educational and scientific purposes within zoological and aquatic parks. It continues to support foie gras exports and traditional hunting.
