Two major unions in the French agricultural sector announced a “siege of the capital” from Monday to denounce the difficult economic situation. The action was called after more than a week of protests by agricultural producers across the country, despite concessions from the government on Friday.
“From Monday, farmers will besiege the capital indefinitely,” announced two of France’s largest agricultural unions, including the powerful FNSEA. “All the main axes leading to the capital are occupied by farmers,” he added.
On Friday, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal vowed to stop the rise in agricultural diesel prices and reiterated his opposition to the signing of the agreement between the European Union and Mercosur, a bloc made up of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, the major agricultural powers. Attal, who was appointed head of government by President Emmanuel Macron this month, also announced greater control of negotiations between producers and traders, aid for certain sectors such as organic farming and a reduction in administrative procedures.
However, their announcements did not convince the FNSEA, which called for “continuation of mobilization.” The protests by agricultural producers, which have also been registered in Poland, Germany and Romania, come about four months before elections for the European Parliament, a key institution setting the bloc's environmental standards.