After a heated debate, Emmanuel Macron had promised to meet with angry farmers “in three weeks, at home.” This promise was made on February 24, the opening day of the 60th edition of the Paris Agricultural Show. The day was filled with noise and fury, and was described as unforgettable by Prime Minister Gabriel Attal the following day. Three weeks have passed since then, and calm has returned to the farms. Roadblocks have been lifted and overall, the pressure has decreased according to the Elysée. However, Macron has still not made peace with the farming community that strongly booed him a month ago.
Despite receiving an unprecedented number of concessions from the government, farmers continue to maintain pressure on the executive branch. While the government has committed to 67 measures and secured concessions at the European level, including approval of a revision of the common agricultural policy that relaxes environmental regulations, farmers are not satisfied. One hundred farmers protested in Tours and Nîmes on March 28, at the joint call of the FNSEA, Young Farmers (JA), and the Coordination Rurale, a competing union. The Minister of Agriculture, who expected a lively reception at the annual congress in Dunkirk, faced demonstrators pounding the ground during his speech. The sector remains on edge, with a sense of distrust but not yet reaching the point of anger.
During the FNSEA annual congress, Arnaud Rousseau, the FNSEA leader, targeted President Macron in his closing speech. He questioned Macron’s ambition and commitment to meeting with the agricultural sector, as promised at the Agricultural Show. Following the direct dialogue with farmers at the show, Macron had asked them to agree on four or five key objectives, as opposed to the list of 120 demands put forth by the protest movement. As this condition was not met last week, Macron postponed the meeting. He will meet with the syndicates once all government works allow him to conclude this sequence, according to a statement from the Elysée on March 18.
In conclusion, the tension between farmers and the government persists despite the concessions and measures that have been put in place. While the pressure has decreased, there is still a sense of distrust and unease within the farming community towards Macron and his policies. The delay in the promised meeting between Macron and the farmers, due to a lack of agreement on objectives, showcases the ongoing struggle to find common ground and address the issues facing the agricultural sector. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining the future of the relationship between the government and farmers, and how they can work together towards a sustainable and prosperous agricultural industry.
