Farmers’ anger far from appeased
The anger of farmers, born in October in Tarn and which peaked nationally in January, is far from being completely appeased, despite multiple concessions from the government. Their grievances are multiple; they target in particular taxes, French and European standards, free trade agreements, delays in aid payments and farmers’ income. Mobilization actions are expected in Ile-de-France and several other regions. Also, a welcoming committee of farmers camped last night in front of the Agricultural Show before Emmanuel Macron’s visit and, yesterday, tractors paraded in the west of Paris.
Arnaud Rousseau, boss of the majority agricultural union FNSEA, warned Friday evening that the president’s visit will not be “not like every year”. Implied, it will not be a walk in the park free from boos and demonstrations of distrust.
Arnaud Rousseau warned the president “that before marching and taking photos, it was first necessary to announce to the peasants what they were waiting for and what they had been demanding for weeks”during a speech to his troops from the FNSEA and the allied union Young Farmers (JA) in the evening in front of the doors of the show.
The demonstrators heavily whistled the president’s name. Under his sign “Manu Tchao!” », Romain Garnier, farmer, explains: “If it doesn’t change, he has to leave. With what he’s given us so far, it’s chao. »
” Frankly “says an executive from the FNSEA, “We don’t control anything. They are boiling hot”.
Arnaud Rousseau and his counterpart Véronique Le Floc’h, president of Rural Coordination, the second largest French agricultural union, still agreed to see the president – “if he can come back”added Ms. Le Floc’h.