Farmers across France intensified their protests on Tuesday, resorting to drastic measures such as setting bales of hay ablaze to partially block access to Toulouse airport in the southwest and parking tractors on highways near Paris. The demonstrations aim to draw attention to their plea for government assistance in sustaining their livelihoods.
The farmers, frustrated by what they perceive as insufficient income and burdensome environmental regulations, are also calling for measures against cheap imports that they argue put them at a disadvantage. As they press their demands, they are looking to new Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau for increased support.
“Whatever happens, we are determined to go to the end,” declared Jean-Baptiste Bongard, a farmer at the protest near Paris. Many farmers, struggling to compete with foreign producers who don’t face the same regulatory challenges, are committed to sustaining their movement, even if it takes a month.
In Longvilliers, near Paris, both carriageways of a highway were blocked with tractors and hay bales, causing disruptions for other commuters. In Jossigny, crowds of farmers gathered around small fires on a blocked highway. A prominent placard at the protest read, “Let’s save agriculture,” emphasizing the urgency of their cause.
The protests, ongoing for over a week, intensified on Monday, leading up to a crucial EU summit on Thursday. Farmers hope that their actions, along with similar protests in Germany and Poland, will capture the attention of politicians, particularly those focused on aid for Ukraine and the EU budget.
Farmers in France, the largest agricultural producer in the EU, cite issues such as inadequate compensation and excessive environmental regulations as key concerns. The demonstrations are part of a broader European trend, with similar actions taking place in other countries.
Responding to the unrest, the French government, cautious of further escalation and with an eye on the upcoming European Parliament elections, has already abandoned plans to reduce subsidies on agricultural diesel. Additionally, promises have been made to ease environmental regulations. The government plans to lobby EU peers for relaxed regulations on fallow farmland, with President Macron discussing the matter at the Brussels summit. Prime Minister Attal is expected to outline his policy plans, while concrete steps are anticipated from Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau.
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