Unwelcomed by angry farmers, Macron spends day at agricultural show

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
25 Feb 2024 04:42

Hundreds of protestors crash the gates and clash with police as the French President arrives at the annual agricultural fair.

President of the Nation Cattle Federation (FNB - Federation nationale bovine) and FNSEA agricultural union vice president Patrick Benezit (Centre L) gestures as he speaks with French President Emmanuel Macron (Centre R) during a discussion with French farmers and members of agricultural unions at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center, on the day of the opening of the 60th International Agriculture Fair (Salon de l'Agriculture), in Paris, on February 24, 2024. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / POOL / AFP)

French President Emmanuel Macron spent the entire day at the annual agricultural fair Saturday, as angry farmers heckled him and scuffled with police.

Farmers across Europe have been protesting for weeks over what they say are excessively restrictive environmental rules, competition from cheap imports from outside the European Union, and low incomes.

Tractors rolled into Paris Friday as farmers sought to pressure Macron on the eve of the fair. Promises of reforms by the government in response to January's protests have failed to calm the anger of the farmers, who were due to discuss their concerns with the French President at the fair before the latter canceled the planned debate.

Riot police kept Saturday the protesters at a safe distance as Macron toured the fair. But as he entered the fair's livestock area in the morning, hundreds of protestors crashed the gates and clashed with police.

🇫🇷 The opening of the Salon de l'Agriculture in Paris has been delayed due to protests against French President Emmanuel Macron's arrival. Farmers started a fight with a special police squad sent to suppress the protests. According to local media, this is the first time in the… pic.twitter.com/jiaAhaTMX7
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) February 24, 2024

In the ensuing confusion, the fair was repeatedly closed and then re-opened to the public. Throughout the day, police and protestors pushed each other back and forth in chaotic scenes.

Police arrested six people and eight officers were hurt in the violence, the head of the Paris force, Laurent Nunez, said Saturday.

🚨🇫🇷 French Farmers lose it

The Farmers hear traitor Emmanuel Macron is in attendance at an agricultural fair event.

This is the result.

There is no end in sight to this mess & the French Government refuse to engage with the Farmers that feed the nation.

This won’t end well. pic.twitter.com/C31FjxBPOb
— Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) February 24, 2024

"Who would have said this morning that 12 hours later we'd still be working and advancing," Macron said at around 8:00 pm.

"It's ridiculous that a small number of farmers spread violence at their own fair," he added. He finally left around 9:00 pm -- 13 hours after he arrived.

Farmers' leaders had warned Macron that his visit to the "Salon de l'Agriculture" would not go smoothly if the government had not met their demands.

He had begun the day at the fair with an early morning two-hour meeting with the leaders of the three main farmers unions, the FNSEA, Jeunes Agriculteurs, and Coordination Rurale.

The French president listened to complaints about prices, red tape, and state aid.

"I always prefer dialogue to confrontation," Macron said. "I am telling you that work is being done on the ground, we are in the process of simplifying things."

He said that his government had made 62 commitments to meet farmers' demands, including promises of minimum prices for some agricultural commodities.

However, some protesting farmers were not convinced. But FNSEA leader Arnaud Rousseau told LCI television that "there are a certain number of advances that we are happy about."

Macron said he would meet again with farmers in three weeks, after the fair shuts on March 3.

French PM outlines agriculture bill

In an attempt to calm the farmers' protests on Wednesday, French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal promised to elevate agriculture "to the status of a fundamental national interest," outlining an agriculture bill designed to address farmers' grievances.

Farmers staged crippling nationwide protests last month before their unions called for them to be suspended after the government promised reforms.

Attal said a forthcoming law would lay out measures "in black and white". He said it was aimed at achieving "farming and food sovereignty" for France and incorporating the dozens of promises already made to protesting farmers since the start of the crisis.

It would also create a new basis for negotiations between producers and wholesalers to improve the income of farmers, a key issue for the sector.

He confirmed that payments under the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) have been made much faster than at this time last year, and several million euros have been paid out in emergency aid, notably to livestock farmers.

France will also stop using its current national indicator for pesticide reduction -- which farmers' unions want to get rid of -- and would switch to an EU indicator instead, Attal added.

The government will also make it easier for farmers to get temporary visas for foreign seasonal agriculture workers, and will continue to waive payroll taxes on almost all seasonal farm work, he emphasized.