A growing number of traditional festivals in south-west France are severing ties with the label “Les Plus Belles Fêtes de France” after reports linked the certification scheme to billionaire Pierre-Édouard Stérin, a conservative entrepreneur known for financing far-right causes. Les Médiévales, held in Lesparre-Médoc (Gironde), announced its withdrawal on Friday, joining events in Hendaye, Hasparren, Espelette and Bazas that have taken the same step over the past week. Organisers say they were unaware of any political affiliation when they joined the label and want to avoid controversy. The label was created last year by Studio 496, in which Stérin became a shareholder this spring. Studio 496’s president, Thibault Farrenq, ran as a substitute candidate for the Ciotti-Le Pen alliance in the most recent legislative elections. While the association says it is the target of a “hostile media campaign” and stresses that Stérin is not a member, festival organisers cite doubts about the label’s neutrality amid concern over Stérin’s anti-immigration statements and funding of ultra-conservative initiatives. The dispute comes as French festivals face wider financial strain. Stéphane Canarias, a festival production director, told news channel LCI that artist fees and technical costs have jumped, predicting that the overall number of festivals may fall in the next few years even as some new events emerge. Organisers warn that political controversy and rising expenses together could reshape the country’s vibrant summer festival landscape.