French farmers close to blockading Paris after failed attempts to appease them

The agricultural unions in France have warned of potential highway blockades around Paris following the government’s failed efforts to appease ongoing protests with pledges of extra assistance

French agricultural unions have threatened to block highways around Paris after the government’s attempts to ease recent protests with promises of additional aid were unsuccessful. 

The FNSEA union, the umbrella group of French farmers’ unions, along with the Young Farmers union, has called for a “siege” of the capital despite Prime Minister Gabriel Attal’s commitment to provide further support during a visit to farmers on Sunday. 

Farmers have been obstructing roadways for over a week to demonstrate against higher production costs and strict European regulations. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin has ordered a “significant” police presence in the Paris region to prevent blockades at airports and the Rungis wholesale food market and to safeguard entry into the city. 

Protests over various issues, from increasing fuel costs to decreasing subsidies, have spread from Poland and Romania to western Europe in recent weeks, while far-right parties across Europe are seizing on the unrest ahead of European Parliament elections in June. 

France convened an emergency inter-ministerial meeting Sunday evening to address the situation. 

Government commitments have “clearly not been sufficient given the ongoing road blockades,” FNSEA head Arnaud Rousseau stated on BFM TV. 

Attal pledged measures to address what farmers perceive as unfair competition and issues with the transfer of farm properties days after vowing to reverse a plan to raise taxes on farming fuel and impose hefty fines on companies that do not adhere to price negotiation rules. He has reiterated France’s opposition to a major trade agreement between the European Union and South American bloc Mercosur. 

Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau announced that further measures for winegrowers, including those affected by mildew-related losses, will be revealed this week. 

Source: Newsroom