French far-right politician Julien Odoul, a representative of the National Rally party, has refused to remove a controversial photograph featuring himself alongside Hinaupoko Devèze, the current Miss France titleholder, despite mounting pressure from the pageant organization.
The image, which shows Odoul and Devèze posing together, has ignited a firestorm of criticism, with detractors accusing the Miss France committee of promoting sectarian values through its association with the far-right figure.
Odoul defended his position in a statement to TV Magazine, asserting that the committee’s actions constitute “a will to engage in sectarianism” and declaring he would not comply with requests to delete the image.
The controversy intensified after Devèze shared the photo on her social media platforms, captioning it with the enthusiastic declaration, “We have a queen of heart!”—a post that further fueled public debate about the intersection of beauty pageants and political affiliations in France.
As the backlash continues to grow, the Miss France organization has formally requested the removal of the photograph from all platforms, citing concerns over the implications of the association for the pageant’s reputation and values.
The incident has sparked widespread discussion across French media outlets, including 7sur7.be and Planet.fr, highlighting ongoing tensions regarding political neutrality and inclusivity within national cultural institutions.
