“The real problem is that they feel unloved”: why the anger of farmers in Europe worries Emmanuel Macron

“The real problem is that they feel unloved”: why the anger of farmers in Europe worries Emmanuel Macron

The anger of farmers, Thursday, near Toulouse. MAXPPP – NATHALIE SAINT AFFRE

The farmers' movement is being watched closely by the executive who fears that it will benefit the extreme right. The agricultural bill which will soon be presented to parliament is intended to calm the anger.

"It is wrong to look at each societal tension as if it were going to degenerate into a new crisis of the yellow vests. We immediately lose the communications battle, a political advisor to the majority said on Thursday.

It is nevertheless true that at the top of the State we have been observing, for several days, the mobilization of farmers. On Wednesday, in the Council of Ministers, the President himself sounded the alarm. He fears that the support the movement enjoys among the population will not transform into real support.

Returned panels

What is it about ? For several weeks, everywhere in France, farmers have been expressing their discontent. The signs of the towns and villages returned are one of the testimonies. They are calling for easier access to water, a reduction in environmental regulations, and denouncing plummeting income…hellip;

If the government is so worried it is because it is looking abroad. In the Netherlands where a movement of fellow farmers, which contested the limitation on the number of livestock farms decided by the government, won the local elections and became the main support of the far-right party. In Germany, where on Monday several thousand farmers blocked Berlin to show their anger after the government's decision to eliminate the rebate on agricultural diesel.

"It is very difficult to answer"

The executive fears the same kind of excess."It's very difficult to answer because the real problem is that farmers feel unloved, they can't stand agri-bashing anymore, they don't want to be the scapegoats for the fight against global warming", explains a close friend of the minister.

To appease anger, the government is especially impatiently awaiting the Agriculture law which should arrive in parliament a little before or a little after the Agricultural Show which will be held from February 24 to March 3 . "I would prefer that we present it afterwards because we will be able to integrate the feedback that will be given to us during the show", explained to us on Wednesday a MP very involved on the subject.

Another precaution to take according to him, is not to start with the Senate which risks imposing amendments that the government does not want."We have removed from the law all irritants, water, phyto products, they should not reinstate them", this assures us elected. "It will be a feel good law because it must be an opportunity to say good things about farmers, they need to hear it",< /em> adds a close friend of the minister.

Concern for Europeans

But while waiting for the bill, the majority intends to show how much it loves farmers. "At the time of the agricultural show, strong positions will have to be taken. It must be said that it is just as important to invest in agriculture as in industry to support our food sovereignty. Part of the France 2030 budget could be allocated to the agricultural world,assures us an advisor of the majority.

More than the fear of contagion, what motivates the government's mobilization is the fear that the RN will benefit from this discontent during the European elections. Jordan Bardella plans to meet farmers on Saturday in Gironde.

Will Denormandie be at the top of the list ?

The choice of the head of the majority list will therefore be made according to this parameter. "If it's Pascal Canfin (former EELV minister who worked for Macron) the farmers will fall on him, in rural areas will not do it", assures us a deputy.

"I hope that Denormandie (former Minister of Agriculture during the first five-year term) < em>will agree to take the lead in the list because he is appreciated by the agricultural world", adds an advisor who hopes that by June… things have calmed down.

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