Farmer protests shake Paris as agriculture bill sparks uproar Euronews coverage

Hundreds of French farmers rolled into central Paris on May 26, converging near the National Assembly in a dramatic show of support for a highly contentious agriculture bill introduced by far-right MP Laurent Duplomb. 

With tractors parked at the gates and banners raised, the protesters made clear their frustration over what they describe as excessive red tape and increasingly unsustainable working conditions, Caliber.Az reports, citing Euronews.

The proposed legislation seeks to loosen key agricultural regulations. If passed, it would simplify the process for obtaining construction permits for livestock buildings and water reservoirs, and temporarily lift the ban on certain pesticides such as acetamiprid. This neonicotinoid insecticide, banned in France since 2018 due to environmental and health concerns, remains legal in some other European Union countries but has drawn sharp criticism from ecologists and beekeeping groups for its damaging effects on pollinators.

The bill was slated for debate and a parliamentary vote on May 26. However, a political standoff quickly ensued as green and left-wing lawmakers filed approximately 3,500 amendments in an effort to stall the legislative process. In response, deputies from centrist, conservative, and far-right parties voted to bypass the full debate altogether. They moved the proposal directly to a joint committee composed of seven senators and seven members of parliament, most of whom are seen as sympathetic to the farming lobby.

This procedural manoeuvre has triggered outrage among opposition parties. Left-wing factions announced plans to introduce a no-confidence motion against the government, accusing it of suppressing democratic debate over a bill that could have far-reaching environmental consequences.

"We just want to live, not survive"

Many of the farmers who demonstrated outside the Assembly said the bill represents a lifeline amid rising economic and regulatory pressure.

Clément Patoir, a 19-year-old grain farmer, said young people are increasingly discouraged from entering the profession due to overwhelming bureaucracy.

“There are fewer young people who want to become farmers nowadays,” he told Euronews. “Many children of farmers have to constantly hear about their parents struggling with regulations. It’s a complicated job, you work long hours, and you’re not necessarily rewarded.”

Patoir added, “The majority of French farmers are trying to survive. What we all want is to live and not just survive. So, fewer constraints and simplification would be much appreciated.”

Pierrick, a sugar beet grower also present at the protest, emphasised that certain pesticides, like acetamiprid, are essential to maintaining crop yields.

“Today, all the methods of production to produce as much as we can are gradually being taken away from us,” he said. “In addition, we always have administrative constraints that add to our workload. But to maintain the levels of production that we have, no, there is no alternative today that works.”

Supporters of Duplomb’s bill argue that reducing regulatory burdens is essential for keeping French agriculture competitive and limiting dependence on foreign imports.

Environmental backlash

However, the proposal has provoked alarm among environmental groups and left-wing politicians. Gabriel Bertein, a left-leaning mayor who joined the counter-protest, warned that reauthorising banned pesticides and easing environmental standards would be a dangerous step backwards.

“If this kind of bill does pass, this will be a sign we are going backwards,” he told Euronews, as some farmers jeered in the background. “We open the doors to more use of pesticide products that we know are dangerous to life.”

Bertein called for state support to be redirected toward sustainable farming practices.
“We must stop helping and subsidizing a type of intensive agriculture that is not going in the right direction. There is an urgent need to change direction, to focus on these topics,” he said.

Tensions over agricultural policy are expected to intensify further. Demonstrations are being planned next week in Brussels, where farming groups aim to protest against EU environmental regulations and the European Green Deal.

By Tamilla Hasanova