‘We want to make a living from our work’: France’s angry farmers threaten to block highway

class = “sc-cffd1e67-0 iQNQmc”>

Shortly before the government’s expected announcements, angry farmers in France intensified their protests. A regional group of farmers’ association FNSEA announced Friday that many toll booths in the greater Paris area will be closed in the afternoon. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal (34) and Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau (53) were expected to arrive in the afternoon in the southwest of the country, where protests began a week ago.

In the south of the country, hundreds of tractors blocked two highways between the main axes of the country. A total of 400 kilometers of highway were closed, including the area around Montpellier and the area between Narbonne and Perpignan.

140 demands to Macron

“We will stay at least all day, everything depends on the government’s announcements,” said Damien Onorre of the regional winegrowers association. “If the answers are not enough, we will continue to protest,” said Jérémy Allard, president of an association of young farmers. “We just want to make a living from our work and not be exposed to cheap competition from abroad,” he added.

The largest farmers’ union presented a list of 140 demands. Of particular importance to farmers is the lower price of agricultural diesel, less bureaucracy and less environmental regulation.

fire and dung

But there are important differences among anger farmers. Organic farmers are seeking help to defend themselves against cheap foreign competition, as some seek to reuse long-banned pesticides. In the background of the tension is the Green Deal, the European climate protection package that envisages major reductions in pesticides and fertilizers.

Security forces have not yet taken any action against the protesters, some of whom dumped manure in front of public buildings. On Friday, angry farmers threw fertilizer and lit fires from pallets near Toulouse airport, where Prime Minister Attal will arrive. (nad/AFP)

Source :Blick