French political party lists cat as local candidate
A French political party has presented a cat as one of its candidates in an imminent municipal election in Rennes, Brittany.
Left-wing party La France Insoumise announced the cat on its municipal 鈥淩ennes en commun鈥� election list, as a means of raising awareness of animal welfare issues.
F茅lix Boullanger, co-director of the municipal campaign in the Ille-et-Vilaine city, 鈥渉ighlight a subject that has not been seen much in this campaign: the animal condition鈥�.
The symbolic gesture was supported by animal welfare campaigners L214 脡thique & Animaux.
In a statement, they said: 鈥淸This is intended to raise awareness and provided] a dedicated campaign for animal protection, to increase the percentage of vegetable protein used in communal food, to support the national ban on circuses that keep wild animals...and support a policy that would sterilise stray cats鈥�.
The cat, who is named Rec (for 鈥�Rennes en commun鈥�) - but who will take on a human pseudonym for the election - is not at risk of being elected, however.
Mr Boullanger admitted: 鈥淭his is a symbolic candidature...Even if the cat gets 99.99% in the elections, it won鈥檛 be elected.鈥�
The municipal elections are set to take place in Rennes on March 15 and 22.
