They come to the writer's aid.
Several conservative figures have defended Sylvain Tesson, the target of an article published in the daily Libération.
More than 1,200 personalities from the world of culture signed the latter, opposing the author, described as a “leading figure of
the literary extreme right
”, being the godfather of the Spring of Poets (9 to 25 March).
“We, poets, editors, booksellers, librarians, teachers, actresses and actors of the French cultural scene refuse the appointment of Sylvain Tesson as godfather of the Spring of Poets 2024”, write the signatories of this text published Thursday , among whom are the authors Baptiste Beaulieu and Chloé Delaume.
Accused of complacency with the far right
“We refuse to allow a cultural event to which we are inextricably linked in a symbolic way, created
in order to counter preconceived ideas and to make manifest the extreme vitality of poetry
, to be embodied by a writer elevated to a reactionary icon” , they add.
They believe that this decision, “far from being contingent, reinforces the trivialization and normalization of the extreme right in the political and cultural spheres, and in society as a whole.”
Sylvain Tesson can count on numerous political supports.
Firstly, the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire: “So this is where we are in the France of the Enlightenment, of reason and of the free spirit: a petition against a writer of great talent, sectarian exclusion with an adventurous pen,” he wrote on X, providing “total support” to the writer.
So this is where we are in the France of the Enlightenment, of reason and of the free spirit: a petition against a writer of great talent, the sectarian exclusion of an adventurous pen.
Full support for Sylvain #Tesson, poet of our world.
— Bruno Le Maire (@BrunoLeMaire) January 20, 2024
The LR president of the Ile-de-France region Valérie Pécresse also provides “total support” in the face of what she describes as a “cabal” against the writer.
“In the land of free speech, a thought police believes it can decree who is allowed to speak and who is not.
This is unacceptable,” she says indignantly.
In the land of free speech, a thought police believes it can decree who is allowed to speak and who is not.
This is unacceptable.
The words posed by Sylvain #Tesson on the progress of the world and our time are precious.
Total support for him in the face of this cabal.
— Valérie Pécresse (@vpecresse) January 20, 2024
“Total support for Sylvain Tesson, immense writer and adventurer, unfairly attacked by right thinking.
This column is ridiculous and reflects the long drift of the Left towards wokism!
», Reacted for his part the president of LR Éric Ciotti.
Full support for Sylvain Tesson, immense writer and adventurer, unfairly attacked by right thinking.
This column is ridiculous and reflects the long drift of the Left towards wokism!https://t.co/ip57ik2hoU
— Eric Ciotti (@ECiotti) January 20, 2024
“All my support for Sylvain Tesson, an author admirably embodying the love of the French language, in the face of sectarianism and a scandalous cabal,” writes Xavier Bertrand, the president (ex-LR) of the Hauts-de-France region. France, on X (formerly Twitter).
All my support to Sylvain Tesson, author admirably embodying the love of the French language, in the face of sectarianism and a scandalous cabal.
https://t.co/JvK1EfSBry
— Xavier Bertrand (@xavierbertrand) January 19, 2024
The Renaissance MP for Paris Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet was also indignant at this platform, denouncing “guarantees of the
good thinking
of philosophers”.
Oppose the appointment of Sylvain Tesson as godfather of the “spring of poets” on the grounds that he would be reactionary?
What would these guarantors of “good thinking” have said about philosophers like Hannah Arendt or Simone Weil?
Like the impression of living in a novel by Ph.Roth or Kundera.
https://t.co/O33lTJ70qS
— Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet (@AstridPanosyan) January 20, 2024
Even on the left, this platform caused a reaction.
“Cancel culture is an impoverishment of the spirit, a sectarianism, a negation of the diversity of human genius.
Respect for Sylvain Tesson,” wrote the PS mayor of Montpellier Michaël Delafosse on X.
France is a country of freedoms;
that of artists, writers, programmers and poets are therefore our freedoms: we must cherish them.
“Cancel culture” is an impoverishment of the spirit, a sectarianism, a negation of the diversity of human genius.
Respect…
— Michaël Delafosse (@MDelafosse) January 20, 2024
Sylvain Tesson, 51-year-old travel writer, Renaudot prize in 2019 for “The Snow Panther”, is accused of complacency with the far right.
He notably prefaced several novels by Jean Raspail, a monarchist and traditionalist Catholic writer, admired by identitarians, who died in 2020.