Permanently walled up, painted or covered in manure: the farmers of Nouvelle-Aquitaine targeted on Thursday and Friday several premises of deputies who voted in favor of the motion of censure, protesting against an “unacceptable” government vacancy which, according to them , postpones the realization of committed promises.
“We are capable of showing our teeth,” warned Ludovic Beyrand, farmer and treasurer of the FDSEA (departmental branch of the FNSEA) of Haute-Vienne, before walling up the offices of LFI deputies Damien Maudet and Manon Meunier in Limoges, and then head towards that of the socialist Stéphane Delautrette in Nexon.
François Hollande’s office in Tulle was also walled up in Corrèze. “We come to symbolically wall up the permanence. It is in rural territory.If he doesn’t want to defend his farmers, his territory, he doesn’t need a permanent presence in Corrèze”, declared Emmanuel Lissajoux, president of the departmental section of the FNSEA, accompanied by around thirty activists from his union and the Young Farmers.
“This will delay all the progress achieved” by farmers, he added, referring to the reform of the calculation of agricultural pensions, measures on the employment of seasonal agricultural workers and the tax exemption of livestock or even aid for setting up. “By bringing down the government, they have brought about the collapse of these almost acquired measures, negotiated over the last ten months,” he regretted again.
In Charente-Maritime, the offices of three deputies – Fabrice Barusseau (NFP) in Saintes, Benoît Biteau (Verts-NFP) in Rochefort and Pascal Markowsky (RN) in Royan – were vandalized on Thursday evening, according to the prefecture, which mentions ” waste spills, labeling and use of expanding foam to seal the entrance to the premises”.
“No treatment of difference”
Deeming it “legitimate” for farmers to express their “despair”, prefect Brice Blondel recalls in a press release that “no elected official (…) should worry about their opinions”.
“We attacked the deputies who voted in favor of the motion of censure and who are ruining all the work done so far for the farmers,” said Cédric Tranquard, president of the FDSEA of Charente-Maritime. “RN, PFN… We don’t negotiate differences, we don’t do politics,” he added.
Pascal Markowsky (RN) told X that he understood “the suffering of farmers, faced with unprecedented difficulties” and that he had listened to “their desperation”.Environmentalist Benoît Biteau expressed his incomprehension at being targeted. He recalled that in the European Parliament where he sat his nickname was “Monsieur niet”, in reference to his systematic opposition to Mercosur, so contested today by the agricultural world.
The departmental section of the LFI, for its part, denounced a “deleterious climate of mistrust towards elected officials”, deploring the “complacency of the authorities (…) in the face of these repeated actions”.
In Poitiers (Vienne), farmers from FDSEA 86 and Young Farmers (JA) unloaded manure and tires in front of the office of MP Lisa Belluco (Greens-NFP) who then spoke to them, according to images published online by France Blue Poitou.In Deux-Sèvres, the office of environmentalist MP Delphine batho was walled up overnight. When contacted, she declined to comment.
On Friday in charente, farmers targeted the offices of René Pilate (NFP), Caroline Colombier (RN) and Sandra Marsaud (Renaissance) with deposits of white paint or manure, before calmly exchanging with elected officials present.
On Wednesday evening, Arnaud Rousseau, president of the FNSEA, the majority union, asked representatives of his union to meet their deputies “to ask them how they intend to bring out the texts we need.”
What are the main concerns of farmers in Nouvelle-Aquitaine regarding government support?
Interviewer: Good afternoon, and welcome to this special edition of Time.news. Today,we have a unique guest with us—Emmanuel Lissajoux,president of the departmental section of the FNSEA in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Mr. Lissajoux, thank you for joining us today.
Lissajoux: Thank you for having me. It’s a pleasure to be here.
Interviewer: This past week, we saw an unprecedented statement from farmers in your region who staged protests targeting the offices of various deputies. Could you elaborate on the motivations behind these actions?
Lissajoux: Certainly. The actions were a response to what we view as an unacceptable government vacancy. Farmers in Nouvelle-Aquitaine have been waiting for commitments to be upheld, particularly regarding agricultural policies and support for rural territories. We felt that symbolic actions like walling up the offices of certain deputies were necessary to make our frustrations heard.
Interviewer: It’s clear that emotions are running high. Farmers like ludovic Beyrand mentioned they are ready to “show their teeth.” What does that signify for the future of farmer-deputy relations?
Lissajoux: It signifies a deep sense of abandonment felt by those in the agricultural community.When deputies seemingly ignore our pressing concerns, it creates a rift. Our actions were not just about anger; they were a wake-up call.If we don’t take a stand for our interests, who will?
Interviewer: You specifically targeted the offices of LFI and Socialist deputies, including François Hollande’s. What message were you trying to send to them?
Lissajoux: The message is clear: If these representatives do not defend their constituents, especially in rural areas where agriculture plays a vital role, they undermine their own positions.By walled-up offices, we aim to remind them that their duty is to the people they represent, not just the urban centers or political agendas.
interviewer: Do you believe these actions will lead to constructive dialogue with the government, or do you anticipate further escalation?
Lissajoux: I hope for constructive dialogue. However, if our concerns continue to be ignored, we may have to escalate our actions. We need to ensure our voices are heard and that agricultural issues don’t get sidelined.
Interviewer: Given the current political climate, do you see any willingness from the government to engage with rural constituents and address these farming issues?
Lissajoux: I would say that the willingness varies. There are some who understand the urgency of our situation, but many others seem disconnected from the realities of rural life. We hope that through continued pressure and visibility, we can bring our struggles to the forefront of political debate.
interviewer: What do you hope will be the outcome of these protests,both in terms of immediate changes and long-term impacts?
Lissajoux: In the short term,we seek acknowledgment of our issues and tangible efforts to meet the promised commitments from the government. Long-term, we want to establish a lasting dialogue where farmers’ concerns are prioritized in legislation and policy-making, ensuring the future of agriculture in Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
Interviewer: Thank you, Mr. Lissajoux. Your insights into this urgent matter are invaluable. We hope that the voices of the farmers are heard and acknowledged as crucial to France’s agricultural future.
lissajoux: Thank you for giving us this platform to share our perspective. it’s important we continue this conversation.