At the cinema | The return of the wolf to Hauts-de-France: an open debate or a discussion already resolved?

On paper, the formula is classic: the screening of a film, then a debate with the public and discussions with speakers. The idea displayed is that of an “open and constructive” moment to discuss the return of the wolf to Hauts-de-France. But what should you expect with this kind of meeting? We are trying to take stock. Because as is often the case on this subject, the question is not only what we are going to say… it is also who is around the table, and with what starting framework.

A return of the wolf which concretely changes the situation

For a long time, the wolf seemed far from the Hauts-de-France region. A subject of mountains, of Alpine breeders, of specialized reports. But today, its presence is mentioned in the 5 departments of the region.

In the agricultural world, this presence, although diffuse, gives rise to very concrete concerns. It must be said that outside our region, where the wolf has been established for years, the returns are often the same: pressure on the herds, transformed work organization, heavy investments in fences and protection dogs, mental fatigue too. And despite the measures, the “cohabitation” advocated by FNE and others remains, for many breeders, imperfect.

Faced with the distress of breeders, defenders of the wolf point out that the canine plays a real ecological role, that it is part of the natural dynamics of ecosystems, and that its return is also the sign of an environment which is being recomposed. The reality is that these two readings are contradictory.

The film and the format of the debate

The documentary “Wolf, where are you?” “is presented as a “sensitive and immersive†investigation, giving voice to different actors: breeders, naturalists, elected officials. In principle, it’s exactly what we expect from a public debate film. But in practice for the evenings announced for May 20 and 21, we still have the feeling that the speakers have been handpicked:

• Vincent Gavériaux (Ornithological and Naturalist Group of the North)
• Hans Westerling (Natagora, wolf specialist)
• Emmanuelle Latouche (French Biodiversity Office)

Are these profiles legitimate, competent, and useful for understanding the subject? Certainly! But a question comes up quite quickly: where are the breeders directly confronted with attacks? Where is the structured agricultural, union or field voice? In the room, perhaps, for those who have heard about the screenings and who dare to rub shoulders with the announced speakers.

Unfortunately, saying “we are going to debate the wolf” does not automatically mean that all positions are equal in the discussion. Between those who assume that the return of the wolf is ecological evidence, and those who experience its impacts as a direct constraint on their activity, the framework is not neutral. In many agricultural areas, the perception is as follows: breeders are asked to adapt to an already established reality, not to discuss its relevance.

Conversely, on the environmental side, the discourse is often that of a compromise to be constructed, but without calling into question the very principle of the return of the predator.

A subject that is also moving at the European level

This local debate is part of a broader context. Since 2024-2025, the European Union has begun to review its position on the wolf, under pressure from several member states facing an increase in attacks and strong agricultural protests. The protection status has been relaxed, opening up more regulatory margins in certain cases.

In France too, the trend is towards more operational flexibility: defensive fire, supervised regulation, adaptation of the rules according to the territories.

This change does not call into question the presence of the wolf, but it says something important: the question is no longer just ecological or symbolic. It has become political, economic, and social.

A simple question basically: who defines the framework of the debate?

This type of screening-debate has a real usefulness: to inform, to compare points of view, to break away from caricatures. But there remains a central question, which goes far beyond this specific event: is the framework of the debate open enough so that contradictory positions are not only heard… but actually represented? To find out, meet on May 20 and 21 in Douai and Valenciennes.