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‘Pitchforks will be out’: French farmers threaten action as union calls for protests

Farmers' unions in France have threatened to take action in response to the possibility of the naming of a left-wing government, whilst unions are also calling for people to protest to demand the leftist alliance be allowed to govern.

Published: 12 July 2024 09:39 CEST
'Pitchforks will be out': French farmers threaten action as union calls for protests
An illustration image from March 2024, showing a protester carrying a bale of straw during a demonstration called by the 'Coordination Rurale' union in Dijon (Photo by ARNAUD FINISTRE / AFP)

The Coordination Rurale union, which is one of the largest unions representing farmers in France, said they would “bring out the pitchforks” if either the new government is headed by a member of the Green or the left-wing La France Insoumise (LFI) party.

The union, seen as being on the right of the political spectrum and which some say has close links to the far right, had already begun calling some smaller-scale demonstrations in southern France.

The local chapter in the Gers département had members gather on Thursday, and called for another demonstration on Friday as the Tour de France passes through.

Around a hundred tractors and 200 activists dressed all in yellow – the color of union – took over a field about 20km from the end of the Tour de France’s 12th stage (the Grand Loop between Aurillac and Villeneuve-sur-Lot).

Serge Bousquet-Cassagne, head of the local chapter, told Huffington Post FR that he was “very disappointed with the result of the elections”, which saw the left-wing alliance Nouveau Front Populaire take home the largest share of seats in parliament.

They were followed by Macron’s centrist alliance and the far-right Rassemblement National party in third place. No group or party was able to obtain an absolute majority.

READ MORE: Is France facing a summer of political chaos and unrest?

“The absolute worst for us would be to have Marine Tondelier [head of the Green party] as a minister in government, or another ‘sham’ minister of ecology or agriculture”, Bousquet-Cassagne, who helped lead several months of protests and road blockades during the winter 2024 to push for fair prices and against burdensome rules, told the French press. 

“They won’t go over our heads, we’ll have to bring out the pitchforks, not the tractors (…) La France Insoumise’s agricultural programme is the pure and simple murder of French agriculture. We won’t let ourselves die like that.

“We would have preferred the RN to be in power, because we have never tried them. But given the situation, we prefer Attal, for a simple reason: he is afraid of us,” the union leader said.

Prime minister Gabriel Attal offered his resignation to Macron the day after the elections but Macron asked him to stay on until a new government could be created. So he remains in post, and all the ministers remain in post – and therefore could take decisions in case of emergency.

This is, however, only a temporary solution and a new government will need to be created sooner or later.

READ MORE: ‘Build a solid majority’: Macron addresses the French in post-election letter

On the other side of the spectrum, France’s CGT Cheminots, the largest union representing railway workers, called for demonstrations across France, as well as near the Assemblée Nationale in Paris, to push for the left-wing coalition, Nouveau Front Populaire (NFP), being able to form a government.

The rallies, to take place on Thursday, July 18th, would be to encourage “respect for the result of the vote”, after the NFP won the largest share of seats in France’s snap parliamentary elections.

The union has called on local chapters to organise rallies in front of local préfectures, as well as near parliament. 

The press release does not explicitly call for any work stoppages or strikes, but it is possible that some workers may walk out on July 18th. 

There have been other calls for demonstrations among the political left in France, including the former left-wing MP, Adrien Quatennens, who has pushed for a march toward the prime minister’s residence, Matignon – although party leaders disavowed his call.

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FARMING

French farmers plan more roadblocks – but won’t say when

Angry French farmers are paving the way for a new set of protests including blockades and roadblocks, saying that government promises have not been fulfilled

Published: 20 September 2024 17:23 CEST
French farmers plan more roadblocks – but won’t say when

Earlier this year, France’s farmers blockaded ports, motorways and – for a short time – the world’s largest wholesale fresh produce market in protest at government and EU policies that, they said, were making their lives impossible.

They won concessions from the government. But, after a poor harvest, they say they’re seeing little improvement in their situation, and feel that promises to make farming more sustainable are not being honoured.

READ ALSO IN PICTURES: French farmers blockade Paris

Jérôme Bayle, who organised the earliest blockades, told Sud Radio on Friday that a new round of protests were in the pipeline pending a meeting with new prime minister Michel Barnier – but added: “We’re not going to give the dates, we need to create a surprise effect.”

He said: “A farmer’s job is not to spend his time blocking roads and inconveniencing people. But at the end of the day, at national level, we’re going to have to build a healthy, sustainable agriculture, with a future.”

A few days earlier, Arnaud Rousseau, president of the Fédération Nationale des Syndicats d’Exploitants Agricoles (FNSEA) told RMC, “the anger has not been answered.”

“For the past year, the change we asked for has not been forthcoming,” he said. “A number of promises made in January have not been met with the expected responses.” 

READ ALSO France seeks to placate farmers as protests flare up again

Summer 2024 has been difficult for farmers, with harvests down because of unusual weather conditions, and a health crisis affecting livestock farming. 

“This cocktail is explosive because farmers have the impression that what they had to say has not been heard,” Rousseau said.

READ ALSO ‘Pitchforks will be out’: French farmers threaten action as union calls for protests

“We were told we’d only have a single administrative control, but the transformations aren’t there. Farmers don’t feel that things have changed”.

He cites several examples, such as the aid owed to farmers, which former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal had promised to pay by March 15th. “I took stock on Wednesday in Vendée, and there are still 150 files that have not been settled. The administrative machinery hasn’t been overhauled, and the appointment we made hasn’t arrived.”

Under these conditions, farmers expect rapid action from Barnier, who is still settling into his role at Matignon. “What counts is what he will do for farmers in the coming months.”

The FNSEA has already put forward a number of proposals, and hopes that the future government will work on a bill with measures concerning agricultural pensions, the recognition of agriculture as being of major general interest, and measures to improve farmers’ incomes.

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