Mátészalka, in Hungary’s north-east, has offered to be home to a statue of Joan of Arc (Jeanne d’Arc), which is to be removed from France’s Nice, the co-ruling Christian Democrat party (KDNP) said in a statement.
Joan of Arc is one of the patron saints of France. This 15th-century military leader led a demoralized French army to several key victories in the Hundred Years’ War with the English before being imprisoned and burned at stake by her opponents at the age of 19.
Three months after his unveiling, a huge bronze statue of Joan of Arc was ordered to be removed following a court ruling that Nice had breached public procurement rules.
The city’s conservative mayor, Christian Estrosi, commissioned the €170,000 (£144,000) sculpture from Atelier Missor. This local sculpture group focuses on French patriotic heroes and has been criticised by some for its right-wing bias.
Jean-Marie Le Pen, a politician who died this month at the age of 86, has adopted Joan of Arc as the symbol of the far-right National Front.
Critics accuse Mr Estrosi of spending considerable public money for political gain on the memory of a man who became a symbol of French nationalism.
Christian Democrats would welcome the statue
“Jeanne d’Arc’s fight and martyrdom goes on,” KDNP leader Zsolt Semjén, group leader István Simicskó, and Mátészalka mayor Péter Hanusi said in the statement. “The changes that have taken place in America will hopefully arrive in Europe soon … KDNP supports any endeavour aimed at saving our Christian-based Western culture,” they added.
About Mátészalka
Mátészalka is a town in north-eastern Hungary, in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County, near the Romanian border. It is historically significant as a regional trade centre around Satu Mare. Often called the “City of Light”, Mátészalka was among the first Hungarian towns to introduce electric street lighting. The town presents a blend of traditional Hungarian culture and modern amenities, hosts local festivals and supports a vibrant market. The town is 280 kilometres from Budapest.