Aurélien Pradié has catapulted to the forefront of French politics after single-handedly derailing a vote on pension revisions by the government.
In a matter of weeks, the 37-year-old politician has become one of the greatest stars on the national political scene, aided by his youth, his good looks, and his oratory skills. Now, he tells me that he is not ruling out a presidential bid.
Mr. Pradié, a politician of the center-right, grew up in the village of Bétaille, where I encountered him at the biennial county fair.
The Lot département in the southwest of France is one of the most rural in the country. Here, approximately 15% of the labor force is employed in agriculture.
Mr. Pradié spent several hours shaking hands, kissing women on the cheek, and sampling locally grown foods at the stands despite the chilly, persistent rain, and muddy conditions. Here, he has rock star status.
Last month, he sabotaged President Emmanuel Macron’s retirement reform measure by refusing to back his own party’s support for it, despite receiving significant concessions from the government.
Many of his party’s representatives followed him. It deprived the centrist Renaissance party of the government of the parliamentary majority it believed it needed to approve the bill.
Instead, the government utilized highly controversial constitutional powers to pass the measure without a parliamentary vote, a move that sparked weeks of often violent protests.
Shortly thereafter, Mr. Pradié again defied his party’s leadership by choosing to censure the government in a vote of no confidence, which would have forced it to resign and scrap the retirement law.
The government clung to power by only nine ballots. For his act of rebellion, Mr. Pradié was removed from his position as the party’s deputy leader.
He stated that it is not his party’s responsibility to provide support for President Macron and his non-majority Renaissance party in parliament.
He stated,
“I believe in fate in politics.” “I was not raised with the expectation that I would one day become president, but I want the French to no longer to have to choose between candidates they don’t want.”
The politician’s meteoric ascension to power was accomplished in the traditional manner, door to door and village by village. He rode a moped during his first election campaign because he could not afford a vehicle.
In a socialist stronghold, he was elected to the House of Representatives at age 31 and was comfortably re-elected last year.
He stated that attending events such as this village bazaar was essential for understanding what people are thinking.
He stated,
“This is not about folklore; this is where I learn about people’s everyday lives.”
“Having roots in politics is fundamental, and the disconnection between politicians and the populace has recently poisoned political life. Here, people do not lie; they tell you exactly what they think, which is not always simple because they often yell at me.”
However, he is expanding his focus beyond the local. Since 2014, Mr. Pradié has served as village mayor, regional councilor, and representative.
Currently, he does not speak English, and he is aware that this could become a problem as his national and international prominence grows. In a few weeks, he will begin intensive English classes, he disclosed.
As we walked among the food stands and exhibitors, the cost of living crisis and its effect on agriculture was the primary topic of conversation. His direct manner of speaking and conducting business was well received.
Philippe Labarthe, a producer of honey, stated,
“When it comes to the retirement reform, I believe [Mr. Pradié] did the right thing, and he forced the government to capitulate.” “At least he is committed to his convictions. Even if I disagree with him, I must acknowledge this quality.
Benoit Jouclar, the director of an agricultural museum, stated that the MP plays a crucial function locally and nationally.
“He is extremely important to our region because he promotes us, and we need young, combative individuals like him in government.” He speaks the truth, and we fully support him.”
Laurent Dubois, one of the foremost analysts of southern French politics, stated that Mr. Pradié has a window of opportunity to advance further, but it will not last long.
“He is a newcomer to the scene, but can he prove that he has something new to offer and can handle his opponents in the long run?” he said.
“His greatest advantage is his youth, but his greatest challenge is staying in office, given that what is new in politics is frequently rendered obsolete.”
Mr. Pradié claims he wishes to start a new right-wing revolution, but he is vague on the details.
“I believe that the abandonment of the French right by the French people in recent years is one of the major errors of the French right,” he said.
“It no longer represents the employees, the French middle class, who work hard and struggle to make ends meet, and this pension reform punishes the hardest workers. For quite some time, the right has only addressed a more privileged, affluent segment of society.”
There are only two representatives for Lot. Huguette Tiegna, from President Macron’s governing centrist Renaissance party, is the other candidate.
She asserts that her opponent is nothing more than an opportunist who used the retirement reform as a stepping stone to ascend the political hierarchy.
“I address crucial issues in detail. Pradié loves to talk,” she said.
“It’s a major issue that he only cares about himself and his career; he gives the impression that it’s all about him.”
He told me that this was not true.
“Because I am not from the establishment and have different beliefs than they do, I am accused of being an opportunist who wants to take the spotlight, which is absurd considering the criticism I have received. If I desired an easy existence, I would have chosen a different path.
“The right cannot continue to act as if everything is fine and sweep the dust under the rug,” he said. “If we want to rebuild, we need an electric shock.”
“Occasionally, collateral damage is the cost of rebuilding a house.”
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