Paris, Rungis or Lyon blocked by farmers this Monday?

Farmers' anger is still brewing and they intend to make themselves heard. After the first major mobilizations last year, the Rural Coordination is once again calling for demonstrations. “The objective is to start blocking the capital from Monday,” said Saturday, Sophie Lenaerts, president of the Rural Coordination (CR) in Oise, to the Parisian. Why is the union calling for protests? How will this mobilization translate? With what workforce? 20 Minutes takes stock.

Why is the Rural Coordination calling for demonstrations?

The CR wants to obtain guarantees from the Prime Minister for the defense of agriculture focused on the protection of small farmers whom it considers crushed by free trade.

The union is particularly expecting a commitment on two points “which cost nothing”, on the one hand, “removing the over-transposition of European rules in France” and on the other hand, the implementation of “controls on imports”. The demonstration planned for Monday comes on the eve of the official launch of the campaign for the elections to the chambers of agriculture, which begins on January 7. These elections, organized from January 15 to 31, will determine the new balance of power between agricultural unions, among which the FNSEA is currently ultra-dominant according to the results of the last election of 2019.

The four main unions must be received at Matignon on January 13, a date deemed “too late” by the CR.

Will the tractors block the capital?

Following this call for mobilization from the CR, the Paris police headquarters and the Val-de-Marne prefecture banned undeclared gatherings from Sunday 6 p.m. to Monday noon, “considering the calls to demonstrate on January 5 2025 launched by an agricultural union with a view to “blocking the capital” and blocking the Rungis market of national interest.”

But the president of the union Véronique Le Floc'h affirmed that there would be “tractors in Paris on Monday”. If the CR's modalities of action remain vague, it is to avoid being “stuck by the law enforcement services”, she confided to the Parisian. She still specified that “people and property” would be respected with “filter dams”. The mobilization could last “three, four or five days”, according to the union.

The Paris police headquarters has nevertheless put in place a “security system” aimed at “preventing any damage and violence” and “any harsh action”, the union being accustomed to this mode of action.

How many farmers in the capital?

According to Amélie Rebière, president of the union in Corrèze, the tractors will mainly come from “Île-de-France and neighboring departments” and will be able to count on the presence of farmers who come by train, bus, or car, she declared on France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine. “It is not a question of blocking Parisians, nor Ile-de-France residents,” she added.

“We deliberately divided the organization of this day and the days to come between five people,” explained Véronique Le Floc’h on RMC. Everyone is responsible for where farmers gather, whether they are in a car or a tractor. And then we'll see what happens. »

Patrick Legras, spokesperson for the CR, indicated that the union had “a meeting point in 91 [Essonne]another in the 27 [Eure] and another which is in the process of being defined.” But no precise figures have been communicated.

Disturbances expected around Lyon

The CR called on farmers to mobilize “all over France” in the coming days. In the Rhône, the Agri Chabanière association, supported by Rural Coordination, announced its presence for blockages on the roads.

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Faced with this situation, the prefecture of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region indicated on Sunday that “very strong disruptions” were to be expected on Monday, from 5 a.m., near Lyon, mainly at “the A450/interchange.” M7/A7”, near Oullins Pierre-Bénite, in both directions. The D342 departmental road is also affected.

State services therefore recommend that motorists avoid the area and anticipate their trips.