The protest movement of farmers in France is gaining momentum, expanding its scope of action. This follows the authorities’ failure to appease the farmers’ anger, who deem the government’s measures, announced last Friday, insufficient.
The Secretary-General of the “Young Farmers” union, affiliated with the major farmers’ union FNSEA, Pierrick Ollier, announced the resumption of setting up roadblocks at the beginning of this week.
A map illustrates the roads leading to and around Paris that the farmers have blocked in their protests.
The protesting farmers declared the establishment of eight points to disrupt traffic on Monday on the main highways surrounding Paris. In response, the authorities mobilized 15,000 police officers, particularly around the Roissy and Orly airports in Paris and the vital Rungis Market.
The farmers aim to exert pressure on the government by moving their actions to Paris and several major cities, including Lyon.
“We will close all the main highways leaving Paris, within 30 km of the capital (…) Our goal is to pressure the government to quickly find solutions to end the crisis,” stated the president of the powerful FNSEA farmers’ union.
Concurrent European Movement
Similar mobilizations are occurring in several European countries, notably France, where some threaten an indefinite siege of the capital.
On Sunday, Belgian farmers closed a highway in southern Belgium, joining the similar mobilization of the disgruntled agricultural sector in France and Germany.
In an operation that significantly slowed traffic, dozens of tractors advanced on a major junction before closing the E42 highway in northern Namur, southern Belgium.
Pierre Dolszt, spokesperson for the Young Farmers’ Union in Belgium, which organized the demonstration, said, “It has become impossible to earn a decent income from farming.”
He added, “We call for a reform of the common agricultural policy that considers the reality on the ground,” explaining, “All farmers must do more with less. Farmers are willing to make efforts, but to do so, they must be able to live decently.” Dolszt also denounced the competition with imported products that do not meet the same standards.
Banners on the tractors read, “Our end will be your hunger,” and “Childhood dream, adult nightmare.”
The Walloon Agriculture Union in Belgium stated on its website, “Europe continues to pressure and crush its farmers. It’s time for this to stop! It’s time to put agricultural realities at the heart of European decisions!”
