By Rémi Noyon

France’s most glamorous actress Brigitte Bardot, also known as BB, has only kind words for Marine Le Pen, the leader of the French nationalist party who is running for president.

“It is a scandal that French mayors don’t have the guts to back Marine Le Pen, who is a top candidate, defends animals and has the courage to lead our country to its rightful spot in the world,” writes the blonde bombshell movie star, in a letter published on the National Front’s website.

Brigitte Bardot is a strong animal rights activist and the publication of her letter comes only days after Marine Le Pen clashed with Nicolas Sarkozy over claims that all the abattoirs in the Paris region are producing halal meat.

But Marine Le Pen’s getting on her high horse against “slaughter without stunning” is not the only reason behind Bardot’s backing. The sixties sex kitten is a darling of the diehard nationalists. She is married to a former aide of Marine’s father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, and has written a book – Un cri dans le silence – to denounce the “Islamization” of France.

In a letter addressed to Nicolas Sarkozy in 2006, she went as far as to write: “[I am] fed up with being under the thumb of all these people who are destroying us, destroying our country and imposing their habits on us.”

Marine Le Pen is not known for being a defender of animal rights. As you can see on the chart below, the leader of the National Front does not score well on many issues of concern for animal lovers.

In an interview with French magazine VSD in May, Bardot acknowledged Le Pen’s limits: “I love marine blue if it is not stained with the blood of corridas and hunting.”

No doubt about it, the real meeting ground between Le Pen and Bardot is a common defiance of Islam.

The controversy spawned over halal meat by Marine Le Pen is a smart move. Her candidacy has stalled. She is stagnating in the polls. Her attacks against Halal are a way to stir up anti-Muslim sentiment while posing as an upholder of Laïcité (secularism), a French favorite.

Last but not least, it is also an occasion to denounce big box stores which are happy to turn to halal to boost their profits.

The “Halal controversy” spurred Brigitte Bardot into clarifying her support for Marine Le Pen. It might have the same effect on whole sections of the electorate, happy to wrap up their bitterness against Muslims in the nice clothes of Laïcité – or animal rights.

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For those who speak French, have a look at the reportage that started it all (France 2, 16 Feb.):