Farmers’ Protest Fills Paris with Tractors in France

French farmers’ tractors occupied Paris a day prior to their debate with President Emmanuel Macron at the traditional Agricultural Hall. The farmers decided to gather at the Invalides and Napoleon’s tomb to voice their demands, replacing the sophisticated limousines of the chic VII neighborhood with the noise and smell of tractors.

Amidst a substantial traffic jam stretching for kilometers and reaching the city’s periphery, the farmers maintained pressure on the government. Their protest took place with the Eiffel Tower, currently closed due to a fifth day of strike, in the backdrop.

Nicolas Bongay, one of the organizers, professed their resolve to stay put. Despite a dispersal order scheduled for the end of the day, Bongay and others had no intention to yield. Their intentions are to stay until later than the granted permission of five in the afternoon and target the Agricultural Hall in the Porte de Versailles, south of the capital.

They are part of a larger European movement protesting against the EU’s agricultural policy, bureaucracy, and sector conditions. They argue that the bloc’s environmental policies, such as the Green Deal that aims to limit chemical use and greenhouse gas emissions, make their business restrictive and their products pricier compared to non-EU imports.

A farmer in the Parisian procession was surprised by the support they received. Cyril, a 59-year-old cereal producer from Seine-et-Marne, was in Paris for the first time. He humorously anticipated President Macron’s reception at the fair on Saturday, remarking that Macron will witness the wrath of the farmers.

According to Alexandre Cuny, mere words are not enough for advancement. He believes the fair should be cancelled this year due to the poor state of French agriculture. The farmers are determined to persist with their protest, refusing to be ignored after the fair as they usually are.

The protest was peaceful, with farmers lighting fires for their lunch break as the French anti-riot forces observed. The farmers received encouragement from motorists and passersby, which heartened Cyril on his maiden visit to Paris.

Protests were not limited to Paris; tractors were also on the roads in Nantes and southern France. In Nantes, farmers expressed their anger by parading tractors in front of the castle of the Dukes of Brittany. The FNSEA 44 denounced the government’s inadequate responses.

President Macron scheduled a debate with farmers at the Agriculture Hall on Saturday in an attempt to resolve the crisis. The profession’s financial struggles and Brussels-imposed bureaucracy have led to an increase in suicides among farmers.

The Presidency worked with the show’s organizers to facilitate a discussion on the future of French agriculture. The aim was to affirm recent actions, make new commitments, and chart the course for the coming years, according to a statement from the Elysée.

The Elysée has invited farmers, agricultural unions, agri-food industries, distributors, and environmental associations to the discussion. Additionally, they have reached out to groups that have previously disrupted the show, offering them an opportunity to constructively express their views during this exchange.