{{Short description|French politician (born 1992)}} {{use dmy dates|date=October 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Alexandre Avril | image = Alexandre Avril 2024.jpg | caption = Avril in 2024 | office = Member of the<br>Regional Council of Centre-Val de Loire | term_start = 2 July 2021 | term_end = | constituency = Loir-et-Cher | office1 = President of Sologne des Rivières | term_start1 = 3 July 2020 | term_end1 = | predecessor1 = Olivier Pavy | successor1 = | office2 = Mayor of Salbris | term_start2 = 28 June 2020 | term_end2 = | predecessor2 = Olivier Pavy | successor2 = | party = Union of the Right for the Republic (since 2024) | other_party = The Republicans (until 2024) | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|19 April 1992|df=yes}} | birth_place = Romorantin-Lanthenay, France | relatives = Jacky Avril (uncle) | education = Lycée Henri-IV | alma_mater = École normale supérieure<br>HEC Paris<br>Paris-Sorbonne University<br>Panthéon-Sorbonne University }}
'''Alexandre Avril''' ({{IPA|fr|alɛksɑ̃dʁ avʁil}}; born 19 April 1992) is a French politician, philosopher, and local official. He has served as mayor of Salbris and president of the Sologne des Rivières since 2020,<ref>{{cite web |date=8 July 2020 |title=Alexandre Avril devient maire |url=https://www.lepetitsolognot.fr/alexandre-avril-devient-maire/ |work=Le Petit Solognot |language=fr}}</ref> and as a member of the Regional Council of Centre-Val de Loire since 2021.<ref name="Élus">{{cite web |date=28 June 2021 |title=Voici les 77 nouveaux élus du Conseil régional de Centre-Val de Loire |url=https://www.larep.fr/orleans-45000/politique/voici-les-77-nouveaux-elus-du-conseil-regional-de-centre-val-de-loire_13975262/ |work=La République du Centre |language=fr}}</ref>
In 2024, he was appointed Vice President of the Union of the Right for the Republic (UDR), a new political movement led by Éric Ciotti, which he joined leaving The Republicans (LR). He is in charge of policy proposals and ideological orientation of the movement.<ref name="JDD">{{cite web |date=2 October 2024 |title=Info JDNews - Éric Ciotti dévoile l'équipe dirigeante de l'Union des droites pour la République |url=https://www.lejdd.fr/politique/info-jdnews-eric-ciotti-devoile-lequipe-dirigeante-de-lunion-des-droites-pour-la-republique-150114 |work=Le Journal du Dimanche |language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Blanchard |first=David |date=2025-04-01 |title=La tête bien faite d'Alexandre Avril, vice-président de l'UDR d'Éric Ciotti |url=https://www.valeursactuelles.com/clubvaleurs/politique/alexandre-avril-tete-bien-faite |access-date=2025-12-08 |website=Valeurs actuelles |language=fr-FR}}</ref>
He is also known for his academic work on Friedrich Nietzsche and René Girard.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-28 |title=Salbris : Alexandre Avril, un chercheur en philosophie à la mairie |url=https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/loir-et-cher/commune/salbris/romorantin-lanthenay-alexandre-avril-un-chercheur-en-philosophie-a-la-mairie |access-date=2025-12-08 |website=lanouvellerepublique.fr |language=fr}}</ref>
In media, Avril has been described as holding right-wing to far-right positions,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Petit |first=Mael |date=2025-02-05 |title=Confirmation : Alexandre Avril serait nettement de droite, selon Libération |url=https://www.magcentre.fr/327599-confirmation-alexandre-avril-serait-nettement-de-droite-selon-liberation/ |access-date=2025-06-26 |website=Mag'Centre |language=fr-FR}}</ref> and faces critics about his conservative views on LGBTQ rights, Islam, immigration and laicity.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rabouille |first=Lucien |last2=Causeur.fr |date=2025-11-21 |title=Un J. D. Vance bien de chez nous |url=https://www.causeur.fr/alexandre-avril-salbris-un-j-d-vance-bien-de-chez-nous-319091 |access-date=2025-12-08 |website=Causeur |language=fr-FR}}</ref>
==Early life and career== Avril was born in Romorantin-Lanthenay and grew up in Salbris, in the Sologne region.
His father worked as an accountant and his mother in a sheltered workshop for people with disabilities. His paternal grandfather worked as a factory worker for Matra and his grandmother was a primary schoolteacher in Salbris.<ref name="Servir">{{cite web |date=22 November 2019 |title=Salbris – Municipales : Alexandre Avril veut servir sa ville |url=https://www.lepetitsolognot.fr/salbris-municipales-alexandre-avril-veut-servir-sa-ville/ |work=Le Petit Solognot |language=fr}}</ref> Alexandre Avril is the nephew of Jacky Avril, a French slalom canoeist and bronze medalist at the 1992 Summer Olympics.<ref name="Servir" />
He attended Lycée Claude-de-France in Romorantin, then completed literary preparatory classes at Lycée Henri-IV in Paris. He entered the École normale supérieure (ENS Ulm) in 2013. He also studied at the international business school HEC Paris and Panthéon-Sorbonne University, from which he graduated in 2017. He received a PhD in philosophy from Paris Sciences et Lettres University in 2023, under the supervision of Paolo D'Iorio.
He has taught seminars at the École normale supérieure.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Item – Les lectures françaises de Nietzsche / 2024-2025 |url=https://www.item.ens.fr/nietzsche-2024 |access-date=2025-12-08 |language=fr-FR}}</ref> He later worked in finance at the Italian investment bank Mediobanca and founded a consultancy on local development.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-04-08 |title=Alexandre Avril, cerveau " hyperactif " |url=https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/romorantin/alexandre-avril-cerveau-hyperactif |access-date=2025-12-08 |website=lanouvellerepublique.fr |language=fr}}</ref> He also worked as parliamentary assistant to Socialist Party senator Jeanny Lorgeoux.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/loir-et-cher/commune/salbris/alexandre-avril-candidat-a-la-mairie|title=Alexandre Avril candidat à la mairie de Salbris|work=La Nouvelle République du Centre-Ouest|date=10 October 2019|language=fr}}</ref> In 2022, he and his wife opened a bookstore in Salbris called ''Le Temps Retrouvé''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-11-19 |title=Une nouvelle librairie rue du Général-Giraud |url=https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/loir-et-cher/commune/salbris/une-nouvelle-librairie-rue-du-general-giraud |access-date=2025-12-08 |website=lanouvellerepublique.fr |language=fr}}</ref>
== Political career == A member of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) from 2007, Avril worked on François Fillon's 2017 presidential campaign. In 2017, he launched a digital grievances book for the Sologne region.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-04-08 |title=Un cahier de doléances 2.0 pour la Sologne |url=https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/loir-et-cher/commune/salbris/un-cahier-de-doleances-2-0-pour-la-sologne |access-date=2025-12-08 |website=lanouvellerepublique.fr |language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-07-22 |title=Il propose une boîte à idées citoyenne pour les élus |url=https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/romorantin/il-propose-une-boite-a-idees-citoyenne-pour-les-elus |access-date=2025-12-08 |website=lanouvellerepublique.fr |language=fr}}</ref>
In 2020, Avril campaigned under the slogan "United for Salbris" during the municipal elections, as the lead candidate of an independent right-wing list. He was elected mayor during the second round, beating the other list with nearly 58% of electoral votes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/centre-val-de-loire/loir-cher/municipales-2020-resultat-du-second-tour-salbris-loir-cher-1845748.html|title=Municipales 2020 : à Salbris, Alexandre Avril remporte la mairie avec 57,95% des voix|publisher=France Info|date=26 June 2020|language=fr}}</ref> In July 2020, he was elected president of the intermunicipal council Sologne des Rivières.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/loir-et-cher/commune/la-ferte-imbault/alexandre-avril-elu-president|title=Alexandre Avril élu président|work=La Nouvelle République du Centre-Ouest|date=13 July 2020|language=fr}}</ref> In the 2021 regional election in Centre-Val de Loire, he was designated as lead candidate of the Union of the Right and Centre in Loir-et-Cher,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/loir-et-cher/commune/salbris/regionales-2021-avec-alexandre-avril-la-droite-mise-sur-la-jeunesse|title=Régionales 2021 : avec Alexandre Avril, la droite mise sur la jeunesse en Loir-et-Cher|work=La Nouvelle République du Centre-Ouest|date=20 April 2021|language=fr}}</ref> and was elected to the Regional Council.<ref name="Élus" />
He was elected unopposed as leader of The Republicans in Loir-et-Cher in November 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-05 |title=Loir-et-Cher : LR se réorganise autour d'Alexandre Avril |url=https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/blois/loir-et-cher-lr-se-reorganise-autour-d-alexandre-avril |access-date=2025-12-08 |website=lanouvellerepublique.fr |language=fr}}</ref>
Ahead of the 2024 legislative election, Avril supported Éric Ciotti's alliance with the National Rally.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-25 |title=Pour la France, il est temps de se rassembler |url=https://www.lejdd.fr/politique/pour-la-france-il-est-temps-de-se-rassembler-146724 |access-date=2025-12-08 |website=lejdd.fr |language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/blois/loir-et-cher-alexandre-avril-sur-la-meme-longueur-d-onde-qu-eric-ciotti|title=Loir-et-Cher : Alexandre Avril sur la même longueur d'onde qu'Éric Ciotti|work=La Nouvelle République du Centre-Ouest|date=11 June 2024|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/blois/loir-et-cher-les-lr-d-alexandre-avril-franchissent-le-rubicon-pour-s-entendre-avec-le-rn|title=Loir-et-Cher : les LR d'Alexandre Avril franchissent le Rubicon pour s'entendre avec le RN|work=La Nouvelle République du Centre-Ouest|date=12 June 2024|language=fr}}</ref> In September 2024, he joined the newly created Union of the Right for the Republic (UDR) as Vice President for studies and program development.<ref name="JDD" />
== Political positions == In high school, Avril was defending 'social justice', according to an ancient professor. During the 2020 Salbris municipal election, he was presented as a "social gaullist". After few months, citizens told he made a "political shift" to the far-right. He is described by ''Mediapart'' as "trumpist". ''Libération'' found links with "radical far-right". According to ''L'Humanité'', he created in Salbris a "right-wing union laboratory". Many left-wing medias wrote he was following French billionaire Pierre-Édouard Stérin's "far-right" project for 2026 municipal elections.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-23 |title=« Accompagner le RN au pouvoir » : comment Alexandre Avril a fait de Salbris un laboratoire de l'union des droites - L'Humanité |url=https://www.humanite.fr/politique/alliance-rn-les-republicains/accompagner-le-rn-au-pouvoir-comment-alexandre-avril-a-fait-de-salbris-un-laboratoire-de-lunion-des-droites |access-date=2025-06-26 |website=l’Humanité |language=fr-FR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Macé |first=Maxime |last2=Plottu |first2=Pierre |title=Qui est Alexandre Avril, jeune maire en Sologne et étoile montante de l'extrême droite ? |url=https://www.liberation.fr/politique/qui-est-alexandre-avril-jeune-maire-de-sologne-et-etoile-montante-de-lextreme-droite-20250323_ADVA3FUVQJDXFHL4TFWBQXS2PM/ |access-date=2025-06-26 |website=Libération |language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Borrel |first=Prisca |date=2025-04-04 |title=Pour installer son pensionnat « d'excellence », le milliardaire Stérin choisit le fief d'une figure montante de l'extrême droite |url=https://www.mediapart.fr/journal/france/040425/pour-installer-son-pensionnat-d-excellence-le-milliardaire-sterin-choisit-le-fief-d-une-figure-montante-de |access-date=2025-06-26 |website=Mediapart |language=fr}}</ref>
== Electoral history ==
=== Municipal election === {{Election box begin no change|title=2020 Salbris municipal election (1st round)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/centre-val-de-loire/loir-cher/municipales-2020-resultat-du-second-tour-salbris-loir-cher-1845748.html|title=Municipales 2020 : à Salbris, Alexandre Avril remporte la mairie avec 57,95% des voix|publisher=France Info|date=26 June 2020|language=fr}}</ref>}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=The Republicans (France)|candidate=Alexandre Avril (chief)|votes=898|percentage=41.26%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Miscellaneous right|candidate=Pascal Sauvaget (chief)|votes=656|percentage=30.14%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Miscellaneous right|candidate=Olivier Pavy (chief)|votes=622|percentage=28.58%}}{{Election box total no change|votes=2,176|percentage=100.0%}}{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title=2020 Salbris municipal election (2nd round)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/centre-val-de-loire/loir-cher/municipales-2020-resultat-du-second-tour-salbris-loir-cher-1845748.html|title=Municipales 2020 : à Salbris, Alexandre Avril remporte la mairie avec 57,95% des voix|publisher=France Info|date=26 June 2020|language=fr}}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=The Republicans (France)|candidate=Alexandre Avril (chief)|votes=1,239|percentage=57.95%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Miscellaneous right|candidate=Christophe Matho (chief)|votes=899|percentage=42.04%}}{{Election box total no change|votes= 2,138|percentage=100.0%}}{{Election box end}}Pavy's list rallied Sauvaget's one before the 2nd round. The list of Avril won 23 municipal council seats and 11 ''communauté de communes'' seats. The list of Matho won six MC and two CC seats.
== Controversies ==
=== LGBTQIA+ Community === In June 2022, Avril was accused of anti-Muslim racism and homophobia by the FSU after he made public declarations on CNews and accusations against the organization of a sensibilization day on LGBTQIA+ Community in a Salbris school. In response, he said that "the fight against homophobia is necessary" and "parents asked [him] to intervene".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vezon |first=Jean-Luc |date=2022-06-24 |title=Alexandre Avril et les LGBT |url=https://www.magcentre.fr/234537-alexandre-avril-et-les-lgbt/ |access-date=2025-06-26 |website=Mag'Centre |language=fr-FR}}</ref>
=== Immigration === In April and May 2024, Avril posted a message on his Facebook page about the murder of Matisse Marchais, a 15-year-old inhabitant of Châteauroux. He linked the murder to what he called "mass immigration". He was supported by far-right activists.
Several local elected people protested against this post. Arguing it was "disrespectful" to use the murder history in "political goal". He responded that "the role of politics is to draw conclusions from what happens. If no conclusion is drawn from the dramas, then the world will never improve".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Petit |first=Mael |date=2024-05-02 |title=Mort de Matisse : Alexandre Avril (LR), maire de Salbris dans la fange de l'extrême droite |url=https://www.magcentre.fr/303977-mort-de-matisse-alexandre-avril-lr-maire-de-salbris-dans-la-fange-de-lextreme-droite/ |access-date=2025-06-26 |website=Mag'Centre |language=fr-FR}}</ref>
A few days letter, both mayors of Salbris and Lamotte-Beuvron sent letters to each other about a center for asylum-seekers. The second one said he was schocked by Avril words.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-08-05 |title="Je ne reçois pas d'ordre d'un freluquet d'extrême-droite" : deux maires du Loir-et-Cher se déchirent autour d'un centre d'accueil pour réfugiés |url=https://france3-regions.franceinfo.fr/centre-val-de-loire/loir-cher/je-ne-recois-pas-d-ordre-d-un-freluquet-d-extreme-droite-deux-maires-du-loir-et-cher-se-dechirent-autour-d-un-centre-d-accueil-pour-refugies-2966765.html |access-date=2025-06-26 |website=France 3 Centre-Val de Loire |language=fr-FR}}</ref>
=== Laicity === In December 2024, he accused a professor on ''X (ex-Twitter)'' of reporting a failure to comply secularism in a Salbris school because of a Saint Nicholas Day gathering he organised for the children of his town.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Beaudoin |first=Jeanne |date=2024-12-20 |title=Le maire de Salbris achève l'année sur une polémique marquée par une vague de haine |url=https://www.magcentre.fr/323840-le-maire-de-salbris-acheve-lannee-sur-une-polemique-marquee-par-une-vague-de-haine/ |access-date=2025-06-26 |website=Mag'Centre |language=fr-FR}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Avril, Alexandre}} Category:1992 births Category:Living people Category:The Republicans (France) politicians Category:Mayors of places in Centre-Val de Loire Category:Members of the Regional Council of Centre-Val de Loire Category:21st-century mayors of places in France