“Enough is enough!”: Laurent Wauquiez and Hugo Clément are arguing so much on social media that the government is getting involved

Laurent Wauquiez et Hugo Clément s’attaquent depuis plusieurs jours sur les réseaux sociaux au sujet de l’OFB. PHOTOPQR/LP/MAXPPP/IP3 – Fred Dugit – Vincent Isore

The statements made by the leader of the LR deputies in the National Assembly did not go unnoticed. Particularly by the activist journalist Hugo Clément. The two have been arguing for several days between defending farmers and OFB agents, forcing Agnès Pannier-Runacher to intervene.

“Our goal is to eliminate the OFB, which is an organization that comes to control farmers with a gun on its belt.” Laurent Wauquiez's statement outraged several Internet users and environmental defenders, including Hugo Clément.

“Are you a thug, Mr. Wauquiez ?”

The activist journalist immediately came to the aid of the agents of the French biodiversity agency, responding sharply to the deputy of Haute-Loire. “Eliminate a police service that enforces the law ? Are you a thug, Mr. Wauquiez ?”, he targets on the social network X on January 25. Hugo Clément took the opportunity to describe Laurent Wauquiez as a “politician cozy in his office”.

The former president of the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region was quick to respond on the same platform, inviting Hugo Clément to debate alongside the farmers “harassed”by OFB agents. Laurent Wauquiez took the opportunity to take a dig at them, after one of their agents compared farmers to “dealers”.

Agnès Pannier-Runacher “dismayed”

The relationship between farmers and OFB agents has become noticeably strained in recent weeks, particularly since a union representative's statement on France Inter on January 15. “We have the feeling that what farmers want is to no longer see us on their farms. It's the same as if drug dealers asked the police to no longer come to their estates”, he said.

Strong reactions have been recorded across France, such as in Pérols, Grabels, Bédarieux and Mende, where the premises of the French biodiversity office were targeted. Laurent Wauquiez had expressed his indignation on X. “Enough is enough! The OFB must be purely and simply abolished”.

Exchanges in the net that forced Agnès Pannier-Runacher to respond, showing her “consternation by the remarks of certain political leaders”, targeting in particular Laurent Wauquiez and Éric Ciotti, on the set of France 3 this Sunday, January 26. A reaction welcomed by Hugo Clément. “Thank you for defending your environmental police officers, who do an essential job on the ground, in the service of all French people”, he declared on X.