Emmanuel Macron will go to the Agricultural Show for its opening this Saturday, January 22. His visit is eagerly awaited by the unions, but some also fear overflows.
The agricultural show begins this Saturday, February 22, Porte de Versailles and will last until March 2. Emmanuel Macron will go there from the opening, as the Elysée announced in a press release. This year, new rules have been implemented in particular with the limitation to 25 people from political delegations against 90 before. Officials must only come once, except for the Minister of Agriculture. François Bayrou will also go there on Monday, January 24.
President Emmanuel Macron is not guaranteed to be well received. Last year, his visit took place under high tension following agricultural mobilization. He had been strongly hué and heckled and hundreds of people had forced the entrance to the exhibition center. According to the secretary general of rural coordination with franceinfoChristian Convers, his welcome should not be very different this year since he believes that since the agricultural demonstration “nothing has moved”. The adoption this Thursday, February 20, of the “agricultural orientation law” on Thursday, February 20 seems to appear as insufficient. According to the trade unionist, in this law “there is nothing that can give visibility to agriculture”. He even believes that the president would do better to refrain from moving to avoid tensions: “I think it should not come, so as not to spoil a day”. “We call all the farmers who come to responsibility and calm, but we will not master this. If the president is there, it will be even cause, same effects, that’s what we might think.” -He explained.
By others, Emmanuel Macron is expected at the turn. Arnaud Rousseau, president of the FNSEA, told AFP that “The level of waiting is always very high and anger is still there.” He believes that the president must come to reassure the farmers, worried about American and Chinese customs taxes. Same story on the side of young farmers who identified two other priority subjects: the ability to produce and export as well as the development of a “real strategy on technology and artificial intelligence to respond to competitiveness problems” . They expect from the head of state “a defense plan for agriculture,” said Pierrick Horel, president of the union, as reported Les Echos.
An unprecedented security system
To limit overflows, security will be reinforced during this edition. The new president of the International Agricultural Fair, the Hérault winegrower Jérôme Despey, does not want blockages for last year to happen again. “We can express themselves with a President of the Republic or a representative of a political party, we can disagree with what he says, there can be discussions, confrontations. But in the Respect for goods and people, “he demanded. According to RMCseveral other risks are to be feared as actions of rural coordination, violent movements towards the stand of the European Commission which signed the agreement with Mercosur or even tense exchanges between tomatoes and Morocco, however invited honor of the edition, following competition deemed unfair.
A mobile police station will also be installed on site. In particular, it will simplify complaint deposits. The number of security agents has also been increased. According to Bfmtvthe police prefecture promises “dynamic surveillance and protection on the site which will adapt according to the physiognomy according to events as well as perimeter security near the exhibition center and in public transport”. In the security perimeter ranging from the banks of the Seine to Porte de Versailles, from Saturday to Sunday evening February 23, “the presence and circulation of people participating in processions, parades of gatherings which have not been declared under the conditions set By law “will be prohibited, said the police headquarters, fearing” unorganized rallies likely to disturb public order “.