As the farmers’ movement gains momentum, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal promises to “make life easier” for farmers. He is due to meet the two main agricultural unions on Monday.
The anger of farmers, which is rising almost everywhere in France and in Europe, caught up with the Prime Minister on Saturday during his confrontation with residents of the Rhône. Questioned by a market gardener on the crisis in the sector, Gabriel Attal affirmed that agriculture was an “absolutely major subject” for the Government before committing to “facilitate the transfers” of farms, “to act for remuneration” or even to simplify “all these standards”. The dialogue between the Head of Government and farmers must continue in Matignon where the presidents of the National Federation of Farmers’ Unions (FNSEA) and that of Young Farmers are expected on Monday January 22.
The movement is spreading
While waiting for what will come out of this meeting, the movement, which began Thursday January 18 in Toulouse where hundreds of farmers demonstrated, is intensifying in France. According to The Dispatch, the mobilization of farmers does not weaken. This Sunday, January 21, new road blockages were put in place in Occitanie and a local demonstration will take place in Ariège, announced the prefecture
On the model initiated by neighboring countries, a major national demonstration could succeed, informs Le Figaro. In the meantime, “we are going to organize a regional event probably next week in Occitanie”, announced to the daily, Cécile Imart, head of the FNSEA in Tarn. Like their German or Polish counterparts, farmers are demanding the urgent release of the envelopes promised by the State and the rehabilitation of the consumption tax exemption rate on energy products. The gradual elimination of this tax advantage in 2024 would force them to pay more for the diesel used by their agricultural machinery.