Breton Party

The Breton Party (French: Parti Breton; Breton: Strollad Breizh) is a social-democratic and nationalist party. It aims to make an independent republic in Brittany. This republic would stay in the European Union.

Program
The party began in 2003. It wants to help Brittany grow in economy, society, culture, environment, and politics. Brittany includes the current region of Brittany and the Loire-Atlantique department. This department has the city of Nantes. Nantes was the old capital of the Brittany.  

The party calls for self-rule for Brittany, like in Flanders or Catalonia. Or full independence, like Ireland.  

Brittany is a nation with rights in the European Union. The party wants a Breton state inside the EU. This would help with money, culture, and nature.  

Its slogan is: "For a free, green, helpful, and active Brittany".  

The party looks at why old Breton groups did not grow. It works with Bretons as they are. On the left-right line, it sits in the centrist middle. The main goal is to build Breton government groups first. It has about 400 members.

Youth Wing
Ar Vretoned Yaouank is the party's youth wing. It began in 2007. It holds events for young people. These events connect to the party but are fun and relaxed. In 2008, the group went to International Youth Days. This event was by the Basque National Party in Bilbao. They met the Lehendakari, the head of the Basque government.

Elections
The Breton Party has run in many elections. It started with two by-elections in 2004 and 2005. Its candidates got 1.5% to 4% of votes.

In the 2007 general election, it had 4 candidates:

Yves Le Mestric in Vitré (Ille-et-Vilaine): 686 votes or 0.89%
Gérard Guillemot in Rennes (Ille-et-Vilaine): 249 votes or 0.57%
Emile Granville in Redon (Ille-et-Vilaine): 847 votes or 1.27%
Hervé Le Guen in Lorient (Morbihan): 686 votes or 1.44%

In a local by-election in Redon on September 23, 2007, Émile Granville got 3.58%. In 2009, in the same area, he got 4.08%.

In 2008, Yann Jestin, head of Askol, got 19.44% in cantonal elections in Lesneven.

In municipal elections in March 2008, it ran about 20 candidates. It won about 10 seats, including one mayor and three deputies.

In the 2009 European elections, it ran one list in the West area. It got 2.45% in the five Breton departments. The best was 3.41% in Finistère. In one town in Côtes-d'Armor, it got up to 16%.

In the 2010 French regional elections, it ran candidates in Brittany and Pays de Loire:

Christian Troadec for Brittany leader: 47,108 votes or 4.29%
Jacky Flippot for Pays de Loire leader: 11,669 votes or 0.99% (mostly from Nantes)

 2012 Legislative Elections 
In the 2012 French legislative election, the Breton Party ran 2 candidates. They got 1.08% of votes in total.
+ Results by area Area Candidate Votes %  Yves Pelle 701 1.19  Claudine Perron 573 1.03

 2014 European Elections 

In the , the party had five candidates in the West area. They joined the list 'Nous te ferons Europe!' with  and Breizh Europa. It was led by . Even though it focused on Brittany, it got 3.05% (83,041 votes) in the whole area. This beat the money-back level. It did well for a local group, even with other local lists from  and  with NPA.
+ Results by department Department Votes % Côtes-d'Armor  8.18 % Finistère  11.54 % Ille-et-Vilaine  2.73 % Loire-Atlantique  1.15 % Morbihan  6.60 %

 2015 Regional Elections 

In the , the Breton Party backed the list "Our Chance, Independence" led by Bertrand Deléon. It faced other local lists from  with NPA, and one from  and . This showed a split with  group. The list got last place with 0.54% (6,521 votes). No advice was given for the second round.
+ Results by department Department Votes % Côtes-d'Armor  0.48 % Finistère  0.56 % Ille-et-Vilaine  0.53 % Morbihan  0.58 %

 2017 Legislative Elections 

In the , the Breton Party ran candidates in all 31 areas of Brittany with its ally Écologie au Centre. This was right after Emmanuel Macron became president. It was hard for other parties, but the Breton Party got over 1% in 10 areas.

 2021 Regional Elections 

In 2021, the Breton Party got 1.55% of votes. It came 9th out of 13. This was not second place, but twice as many votes as 2015: 13,193 votes in Brittany (vs 6,521 in 2015).

+ Results by department Department Votes % Côtes-d'Armor  1.85 % Finistère  1.49 % Ille-et-Vilaine  1.24% Morbihan  1.75 %

 2022 Legislative Elections and The Federation of United Countries 
On January 15, 2022, “La Fédération des Pays Unis” started. It joins local, self-rule, and freedom groups.

It formed after the Breton Party could not join Fédération Régions et Peuples Solidaires. The goal was to run in over 50 areas for public money. The party ran 34 candidates, including 2 outside France.

It got 15,205 votes and gave no vote advice.
+ Results by department Department  Votes % Côtes-d'Armor  0.78 % Finistère  0.95 % Ille-et-Vilaine  0.67% Morbihan  0.99 % Loire-Atlantique  0.76 %

 2024 Legislative Elections 
The  started after the National Assembly ended early. This surprised small parties like the Breton Party. They ran less ready than planned. It had 13 candidates (one in Paris), down from 34 before. It got 12,808 votes, or 1.46% average per area.
+ Results by department Department  Votes % Côtes-d'Armor  0.53 % Finistère  0.22 % Ille-et-Vilaine  0.48% Morbihan  0.84 % Loire-Atlantique  0.40 % Paris  0.02 %

The party often gets 1-4% of votes in Breton areas. It has grown slowly over time.

 References 

External links
Official site (in French and Breton)

Category:Political parties of minorities in France