Le Pian-sur-Garonne, France, Jan 22, 2026 — The mayor of Le Pian-sur-Garonne, a small village in southwestern France, has removed the European flag from the town hall in protest of policies he says are harming local farmers. The gesture, which began Monday, January 19, 2026, is a symbolic act of solidarity with struggling agricultural workers and a call for greater responsibility from European leaders.
The removal of the European flag from Le Pian-sur-Garonne’s town hall signals growing frustration among French farmers over trade agreements and perceived lack of support.
- The mayor of Le Pian-sur-Garonne removed the European flag from the town hall on January 19, 2026.
- The action is a protest against policies impacting French agriculture, particularly the Mercosur agreement.
- Didier Cousiney, the mayor, is a retired wine grower who sold his family farm in 2022 due to financial hardship.
- The move is part of a wider trend of French mayors expressing discontent with agricultural policies.
Didier Cousiney, the mayor of the 980-person village, explained that the decision was “neither directed against the European idea, nor against our fellow citizens,” but rather “a call for responsibility, a refusal to remain silent while our agriculture is sacrificed,” according to reporting by Delphine Decourcelle of Actu.fr.
A Personal Crisis Fuels a Political Protest
Table of Contents
Cousiney’s decision is rooted in personal experience. He took over his family’s wine farm at age 18, hoping to build a legacy for future generations, but was forced to sell it in 2022 due to ongoing economic pressures. “I took over my parents’ farm at the age of 18 and who thought he would make it prosper to leave it to his children, finally had to sell in 2022, because the crisis had passed by there…”, destroying his dreams, he said.
The former wine grower, who has been president of the Viti 33 collective for nearly 20 years, admitted to struggling with despair following the sale of his farm. “I fell to my lowest point, I even thought about screwing myself up…” he confided to Actu.fr. He credits his recovery to support from friends involved in rugby and motorcycling.
Farmers Feel Abandoned
Cousiney’s protest reflects a broader sense of frustration among French farmers who feel increasingly abandoned by policymakers. He stated that despite “repeated cries of warning and calls for help,” decisions continue to be made that threaten their livelihoods. He specifically cited the recent signing of the Mercosur agreement and increased tariffs imposed by the Trump administration as particularly damaging blows to the agricultural sector.
“The recent signing of the Mercosur agreement, followed by an increase in Trump taxes, is a further illustration of this. This is a new blow to our agriculture. An incomprehensible decision, a shame,” Cousiney said.
What This Means for You
The situation in Le Pian-sur-Garonne highlights a growing tension between free trade agreements and the protection of domestic agricultural industries. While proponents of agreements like Mercosur argue they boost economic growth, critics contend they undermine local farmers by exposing them to cheaper imports that may not meet the same environmental or labor standards. This protest is a signal that the debate over agricultural policy in Europe is likely to intensify, potentially impacting food prices, trade relations, and the future of rural communities.
Only the French flag is obligatory on town halls, with a 2023 National Assembly decision to require the display of the European flag for municipalities with more than 1,500 inhabitants not yet validated by the Senate.
