French farmers drove tractors into central Paris on Friday, intensifying pressure on President Emmanuel Macron, who initially promised a meeting to address their concerns but later canceled the event. The farmers, part of a broader Europe-wide movement, protest against environmental regulations, competition from cheap imports outside the EU, and demand action on low incomes.
The move comes ahead of the Salon de l’Agriculture, a significant national agricultural fair set to open in Paris on Saturday. Damien Greffin, a cereal farmer and chief of the main farmers’ union FNSEA in the Paris region, stated, “The idea was to add a little bit of pressure before the fair opens.”
French farmers conducted nationwide protests last month, prompting the government to pledge reforms. However, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal’s new measures announced on Wednesday failed to appease protesters, directing attention to Macron’s visit to the annual agriculture fair.
Macron initially announced a debate at the fair involving all stakeholders in the agriculture sector to outline its future. However, controversy arose when Macron included the radical ecology group Soulevements de la Terre, leading to protests from various quarters. Macron’s office later admitted an error and uninvited the group. FNSEA boss Arnaud Rousseau criticized Macron’s initiative as “cynical,” leading to Macron canceling the event and opting to meet farmers’ unions before the fair.
Attal had pledged to elevate agriculture to the status of a fundamental national interest and outlined an agriculture bill. However, ongoing protests indicate farmers’ dissatisfaction, with continued road blockades and demonstrations.
Around 30 tractors entered central Paris on Friday morning, heading towards Les Invalides, near the French parliament. A second convoy later entered Paris, setting up camp near the agriculture fair site. The FNSEA acknowledged that this year’s fair, a significant event for farmers, the public, and politicians, would be “eminently political” but expressed hope for it to also be a “time of celebration.”
