Protests by farmers in France are intensifying and edging closer to Paris, one week after demonstrations erupted in the south of the country over the impact of Green climate policies.
Tractors were seen driving in convoys and blocking roads in many regions of the country to accelerate pressure on the government to enforce measures to protect the country’s agricultural sector.
Red tape, spiralling costs, and foreign competition have been cited as reasons for growing anger among farmers, along with “contradictory” green policies which some farmers have argued are unfair. One key objection which has been voiced is the ban on pesticides and herbicides, stemming from the EU’s Green Deal, and an EU-wide treaty which could mean more Brazilian and Argentinian beef is imported into the country.
A highway west of Paris was hit by traffic slowdowns caused by a blockade of tractors, with one farmer telling BFM-TV that the farmers were “getting progressively closer to Paris.”
France’s biggest farmers union, FNSEA, has said that the snowballing protests will continue “this week and as long as necessary”. It is considering nationwide action as the movement progresses. It came as two agricultural unions urged farmers to gather on highways in Paris on Friday to blockade the roads.
It comes as videos of the demonstrations have racked up millions of views on social media, with one demonstration seeing farmers spelling out the message, “SOS” being shared across platforms including X, in what has been labelled the farmer’s “SOS to the world.”
"SOS" 🚜🚜🚜
The French farmers are now calling for help to SAVE their livelihood as they protest climate policies.
SHARE if you support farmers 👇 pic.twitter.com/cCQLTksZvB
— PeterSweden (@PeterSweden7) January 26, 2024
Protestors have been seen causing traffic slowdowns, and demonstrations have featured barricades of straw hay bales being used as blockades, along with the dumping of agricultural waste outside government offices.
INCREDIBLE SCENES
The French farmers are now blocking the roads with hundreds of sheep.
— PeterSweden (@PeterSweden7) January 25, 2024
French newspaper Liberation reports that police have not intervened regarding the protests, with the country’s Interior Minister Gérald Darmani saying that the protestors are not attacking police, nor had they set fire to public buildings.
National publication Le Monde on Friday reported that the country’s newly appointed Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal, was set to present measures in the hopes of quelling growing anger from farmers. It came as two major farmers unions promised to block highways around the capital on Friday, pledging to send a clear message to the government.
“Many farmers from the region (southwest France) have put their tractors on the main roads leading to the capital. Slowly but surely, they’re getting closer,” the paper reports.
Liberation reported on Friday that Mr Attal had assured farmers that France “opposes” the signing of the controversial trade agreement between the EU and the Latin American Mercosur countries. The agreement, which deals with environmental issues, has been broadly criticised by French farmers due to the risk of what is perceived as unfair competition from South African producers.
“I repeat it here in a very clear, very clear way. The President of the Republic has always opposed it and we continue and will continue to oppose it,” he said.
In response to the protests, Mr Attal on Friday announced ten measures of “immediate simplification,” stating: “I am making a very clear decision, that of drastically simplifying our procedures and standards, when they do not make sense.”
Despite the government’s attempts to defuse the situation, leader of the National Party, Marine Le Pen, claimed on Thursday that “the worst enemies of farmers are … in this government.”
Meanwhile, on Friday, dozens of tractors lined up on Le Touquet beach in Pas-de-Calais, a city where president Emmanuel Macron owns property:
15h15 La Plage de #LeTouquet constellée de tracteurs des #Agriculteurs pic.twitter.com/FdnK2ESFHK
— Emmanuel de Villiers (@E2Villiers) January 26, 2024
As the farmers’ protests spill across France, demonstrations are also growing in Germany. Farmers protests were seen in Berlin on Friday, with more than 300 farmers from Brandenburg driving to the capital.