The government is trying to regain control. The Minister of Agriculture is making her first field visit to Pas-de-Calais on Thursday, November 21, since the start of the new rebellious movement in the agricultural world. Annie Genevard is expected mid-morning on a farm 10 km northeast of Béthune; she plans to meet with farmers there, according to her office. She will then go to an agricultural educational establishment in Arras. Follow our live stream.
Opposition au Mercosur. The minister reiterated on Wednesday the government's opposition to the Mercosur free trade agreement, and its desire to bring together a blocking minority within the EU to prevent it, while a debate on this subject will take place. held in the National Assembly next Tuesday. “We are going to do everything we can to prevent this agreement, which is bad”promised Annie Genevard on BFMTV.
Loss of speed. The mobilization now seems to be limited to the actions of the yellow hats of Rural Coordination. In the South-West, blockages of logistics platforms continued on Wednesday, notably access to the commercial port of Bordeaux and major retail purchasing centers. Supermarkets were also targeted. However, according to the authorities, “mobilization appears to be decreasing” across the country compared to the start of the week.
Union rivalries. This new episode of agricultural demonstrations comes a few weeks before professional elections. The Rural Coordination, the second union in the sector, intends on this occasion to break the hegemony of the majority alliance between the FNSEA and the Young Farmers (JA). These two brother unions had warned that they would mobilize until mid-December against the trade agreement with Mercosur countries, against the standards they consider excessive and for a better income.
