Hard-left politicians seek ban on rural banquets over exclusion claims

Politicians from the La France Insoumise party have called for a ban on large banquets held across rural France. The events, organized by Le Canon Français, feature four courses of local cuisine, unlimited wine, and several hours of music and group singing for around €81 per ticket.

The politicians accuse the banquets of ignoring racist chanting and deliberately excluding Muslims and vegetarians because pork appears regularly on the menu. They also cite the involvement of investor Pierre-Edouard Stérin as evidence the events promote a hard-right agenda.

Français rejected the accusations, stating the company is reviving an old French tradition of mass dining with local fare that dates to medieval times. The business began when the cofounders sold wine online to assist a grower during the Covid-19 pandemic and later expanded into events to fund heritage projects.

The cofounder said the company cannot control every attendee's speech but maintains a charter that all ticket buyers must sign. He added that pork is served regularly because charcuterie forms a standard part of rural French cuisine, not to exclude any group.

Attendee and political context At a recent banquet in Colmar, attendees dismissed the complaints, saying they attend for atmosphere, friends, alcohol, and food. One participant noted that criticism intensified after Stérin became a shareholder and linked the timing to elections scheduled for next year.

The cofounder stated that many attendees vote for right-leaning candidates in elections but emphasized the company creates jobs and social gatherings. He said he has never met Stérin, who purchased a 30 percent stake because the business is profitable, and described himself as a Catholic entrepreneur who would not exclude people on principle.