The National Federation of Agricultural Operators' Unions (FNSEA) and Young Farmers (JJAA), two of the main organizations of the agricultural sector in France, called this Saturday, January 27, to block access to Paris “indefinitely” starting Monday . In this way, the agricultural sector maintains its protests despite Friday's announcements made by the Government.
“On Thursday and Friday we had a dozen blockades around Paris (…). What will be launched next week will be much more specific and much stronger, the idea is that there will be no trucks that can supply the capital and that, if necessary, we hold on as long as necessary, in any case throughout next week,” declared Maxime Buizard, leader of the Young Farmers organization.
Thus, two French agrarian organizations called this Saturday, January 27, to “siege” Paris starting Monday “for an indefinite period“, despite Prime Minister Gabriel Attal's announcements aimed at appeasing the anger of farmers, who have staged protests across the country.
“All the main axes leading to the capital will be occupied by farmers” from Monday, says a statement from the organizations representing farmers from the Ile-de-France (where Paris is located), the Hauts-de-France, Aube, Eure, Eure and Loir, Marne and Seine Maritime.
The National Federation of Agricultural Operators' Unions (FNSEA) and Young Farmers (JJAA) made this call, while Rural Coordination showed its intention to block the international market of Rungis (outskirts), located 7 kilometers south of the capital and considered the largest fresh produce market in the world, also starting Monday.
The statement from the unions is published the same day that the protest, which is now a week old, showed signs of calming down after the French Government's announcements on Friday to please the sector. Well, there were 38 blockades on roads and highways this Saturday compared to 112 on Friday.
“The prime minister has not listened to our demands. It is true that he has given some answers, but they are not at the appropriate level (…). We have decided to change our method and, therefore, organize a blockade of Paris and its suburbs,” declared Maxime Buizard.
The claims of farmers in France
Expressing their rejection of international competition that they consider unfair, this week, protesters stopped and emptied foreign trucks, mostly Spanish, Moroccan or Bulgarian, near Montélimar, a city in the southeast of the country. “We want to compete with the same weapons,” the farmers repeated at the different demonstration points.
Other farmers denounce European regulations, particularly at environmental level, which, they say, harm them.
“We are fed up because we no longer make a living from our job,” Nathalie Possémé, president of a local section of the Rural Coordination union, declared during a march. “If we want quality food, we have to pay for it,” she insisted.
Until now, farmers have managed to attract the attention of public opinion, which, according to polls, supports their demands, through concrete actions such as throwing slurry – remains of vegetables, crops, seeds – in front of government delegations and supermarkets and with road closures.
Last Wednesday, the sector's unions presented 140 points to the new prime minister, Gabriel Attal, ranging from the immediate payment of aid to the relaxation of environmental restrictions. “At the moment, nothing is negotiable,” said Arnaud Gaillot, president of Young Farmers, on January 24, referring to the list of demands they have transmitted to the Government.
Calming the protest is key for the country's president, Emmanuel Macron, and the ruling party ahead of the European elections next June, when all polls predict a victory for the extreme right. Both the head of the far-right list, Jordan Bardella, and the leader of the National Rally party, Marine Le Pen, have multiplied their messages of support for farmers in recent days.
What did the French Government promise?
Among other measures, the Government promised on Friday, January 26, a tax exemption for agricultural diesel, the commitment to negotiate in Brussels a new derogation from the obligation to leave 4% of land fallow and the acceleration of Policy payments. Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), of which France is the first beneficiary with 9 billion euros (about 9.8 billion dollars) per year.
Besides, The French Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal, committed that France will not sign the free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur.
While the Executive has assured that it has no intention of sending police officers to dissipate the protests, which it considers peaceful even though they block public infrastructure; Some episodes of violence have been recorded, such as the burning of the façade of the Government delegation in the city of Agen (southern France) last Wednesday.
On Friday, two other public buildings were burned by protesters: that of the Agricultural Social Mutuality in Narbonne (south) and that of the Customs House in Nîmes.
With EFE and Reuters
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