That morning, Clément Wittmann cycled through several villages in the Meuse to get to Verdun. He hopes to have the support of elected officials from Meuse and Verdun to validate his candidacy for the presidential election. Since May, this native of Nancy has been cycling all over France to obtain the 500 signatures, a condition for being a candidate in 2022.
Allier, Aveyron, Auvergne, Côte d’Or, and more recently Lorraine, Clément Wittmann crossed the countryside and French villages, but not only to hope for political support: my travels how great the rupture between the cities and the countryside was. In some villages, there are no more shops, no more public services. There is a feeling of death. It is terrible. Today, politicians do not talk about this. ”
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Putting ecology at the center of the political debate
Ornithologist by profession, Clément Wittmann has been interested in ecology for more than forty years. “I spent my childhood in Sarrebourg in Moselle. My grandmother was a peasant. I have seen how nature has evolved and biodiversity has disappeared. ”
Ten years ago, he decided to make a radical change and decided to resell his car to get around only by bicycle. “It is a real pleasure to be able to travel on the greenways. The traffic, the cars, it’s a world of bullies. “Today, he wants to put ecology at the center of the political debate:” France is far behind in terms of ecology. When we cycle for miles, we see a lot of things. Nature is deteriorating so quickly. We must realize this before it is too late. Ecology is the solution, not a punishment, ”he explains.
Today Clément Wittmann has already received the support of twenty elected officials. He knows it will be difficult to reach the 500 signatures. Because he is not there on his first try. Already a candidate in 2012 and 2017, he had then collected 120 and 80 signatures. While there is still a long way to go to validate his candidacy in 2022, Clément Wittmann refuses to resign himself. “Today we are in a process of self-destruction. We need animals and insects to live. Time is running out, ”he concludes with his face lowered. Next stage of his political and environmental tour of France: Alsace.
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