Michel Barnier under pressure to respond to the anger of farmers and the expectations of local communities

Will 2024 end like it started? Appointed two and a half months ago at Matignon, Michel Barnier will have to put down several protest movements this week. An addition of anger from the “territories”, according to the expression used for rural and provincial France. While his predecessor Gabriel Attal had been overtaken, as soon as he was named rue de Varenne in January, by the farmers' malaise – which had led to motorway blockades in the four corners of France – the Savoyard is in turn confronted with a powerful discontent among the peasant world. Cause of this anger? The Mercosur free trade agreement, between the European Union and Latin American countries, which could be ratified by the end of the year at community level. Enough to make operators fear unfair competition on prices and the arrival of goods containing products banned on the Old Continent.

Discreet…