French Farmers Intensify Protests Near Toulouse, Demanding Government Action
Farmers in southwestern France are escalating their demonstrations, voicing deep frustration with current agricultural policies and threatening further action as they prepare for a larger protest in Toulouse. The unrest underscores a growing crisis within the French agricultural sector, fueled by economic pressures and perceived governmental inaction.
On Friday, approximately 100 breeders from Haute-Garonne gathered at a roundabout along departmental road 632, near Sainte-Foy-de-Peyrolières, in a show of unified opposition. This demonstration served as a prelude to a larger, planned protest in Toulouse, which organizers intend to be both a powerful display of discontent and a commitment to peaceful demonstration.
The action began with a blockade of traffic by around ten agricultural machines, with farmers dumping hay, straw, and wood onto the roadway. Local gendarmes and the Compagnie Républicaine de Sécurité (CRS) from Agen arrived within hours, facilitating the lifting of the blockade and restoring alternating traffic flow. The scene shifted to the roundabout itself, where farmers established an improvised encampment around braziers.
The protest represents a united front from the four major agricultural unions, acting as an inter-union collective. Key figures involved include Luc Mesbah, secretary general of the FDSEA 31, André Laveran, president of the “Revolutionary Peasant Army” and formerly of SOS agriculture, and Maxime Raud, president of rural coordination 31. These leaders reiterated a comprehensive list of demands, asserting that the government is aware of the issues but unwilling to address them.
“The State knows them but does not want to hear anything,” insisted Maxime Raud,echoing the sentiment of manny present,including his wife,both wearing the signature yellow caps of the movement. A farmer from Muretain, a veteran of numerous agricultural struggles, added, “we are angry as nothing is moving.”
The list of grievances is extensive, encompassing concerns over the DMC (Dispositif de Marchés en Crise – Crisis Market Mechanism), the mercosur trade agreement, burdensome administrative simplifications, the evolving Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and the designation of vulnerable areas. Farmers are demanding concrete solutions to these challenges, emphasizing that the very survival of their farms is at stake.
“We will not give up,” a leading organizer stated at the conclusion of Friday’s demonstration. “the survival of our farms is at stake.” The escalating protests signal a deepening crisis in French agriculture, with farmers determined to make their voices heard and secure a lasting future for their livelihoods.
why: French farmers are protesting due to a multitude of grievances including concerns over the DMC, Mercosur trade agreement, administrative burdens, the CAP, and vulnerable area designations.They feel the government is aware of their issues but unwilling to act.
who: The protests involve approximately 100 breeders from Haute-Garonne, representing a united front from the four major agricultural unions. Key leaders include Luc Mesbah,André Laveran,and Maxime raud.
What: Farmers blocked a roundabout near sainte-Foy-de-Peyrolières with agricultural machines and established an encampment. They are planning a larger protest in Toulouse to demand government action on their concerns.
how did it end? The initial blockade was lifted by gendarmes and the CRS, restoring alternating traffic flow. The protest shifted to an encampment around braziers, with organizers vowing to continue their demonstrations until their demands are met. The immediate outcome of friday’s demonstration was a reaffirmation of commitment to further action, specifically a larger protest planned for Toulouse.
