Discursive caresses and some announcements, but without a clear exit to the world rural crisis. French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal made his general policy speech this Tuesday, marked by peasant protests, three weeks after his appointment. Agricultural unions invaded on Monday, cutting off circulation in the country for an “indefinite period”. Eight of the main motorways and roads in the Paris region, in addition to dozens of other blockades that have been ongoing for days in other parts of the country. This crisis in the primary sector marked the intervention of the young 34-year-old prime minister in Parliament, where he said:French agricultural exemption“.
“I say this seriously: French agricultural exemption“Attal assured that there would be a return to a formula used in conjunction with culture and public policies to promote cultural production in France.” Agricultural dominance of the country“, he added, in a formula that has protectionist overtones but is difficult to translate into concrete measures, especially in the single European market where products benefit from the EU. free movement.
Emmanuel Macron and the Attal Government began to recover after making the first concessions on Friday to the peasant protests that began on January 18. tax subsidy for rural dieselThe Prime Minister announced some new measures to calm the anger. In particular, pending assistance Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) They will take place in France before March 15. He announced that urgent aid would be provided to winegrowers in the south of the country, who are suffering due to drought and decreasing wine consumption. Attal, who already condemned on Sunday “unfair competition“He announced a plan to check the origin of products coming from neighboring countries such as Spain or Italy, without giving further details.
Mercosur and fallow lands under the spotlight
Attal said about the deep crisis on the ground, which was also reflected in the protests in Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania and Belgium: “I am aware that we cannot solve everything in a few weeks. I am aware that some aspects are complex.” . And maybe in Spain in the coming weeks. French Agriculture Minister Marc Fesnau will go to Brussels on Wednesday to discuss this issue. Macron will meet with the President of the European Commission on Thursday. Ursula von der Leyen. As the Prime Minister reminded, the three priorities of the French Administration in agricultural matters of continental policy are the reduction of the percentage of land. fallowtermination of the free trade agreement with Mercosur (main Latin American countries) and “Ukrainian imports, especially chickens.”
Unless progress is made on these issues or more assertive measures are taken by the Macron-Attal Government, the roadblocks for farmers, who enjoy the support of nearly 90% of the French people and benefit from a positive situation, are unlikely to end. —Traditional Agriculture Fair is planned. until the end of February to receive further concessions. For now, Tuesday’s announcements haven’t convinced them. Grain producer Jeremy, who attended the meeting, said, “He didn’t say anything interesting. He said he was determined, but we are more determined than him. We were expecting more concrete measures and at least some important announcements, but nothing happened.” He told the conservative newspaper Le Figaro during the days when the motorways were closed.
“You said that the enemy (of agriculture) is standards, but in reality the enemy is free trade and the fact that standards are required in Europe that are not required in the rest of the world. And then the European market opens, which is what Olivier Faure, secretary general of the Socialist Party, said in the corridors of the National Assembly from the Ibérica Press group. “It is too open,” he criticized in statements to Periódico de Catalunya. “They tell us they are against free trade, but so far they have supported all free trade agreements. “We see a persistent double language.”
A “reactionary” speech
Attal, as a continuation of Macron’s statement at the press conference on January 9, whose content already resembled a general speech, clearly touched upon the policies he will implement by intervening in areas other than agriculture. policy. The prime minister insisted on the clearly right-wing line adopted by the president.
Attal remembered his desire Cutting taxes on the middle classes by 2 billion eurosreduce the rights of the unemployed and uniform in schools It will be expanded throughout the country as of September 2026. He also touched upon the mandatory nature of the application. Universal National Service (SNU)A type of military without compulsory military training, which has been tested for several years. More innovatively, it has been proposed that across the country (so far limited to just a few departments) those earning the French equivalent of the minimum living income will be required to work or study 15 hours a week or “pay” patients who do not show up for medical consultations.
The prime minister also confirmed they would reform, possibly cut, the benefit that allows illegal immigrants to receive medical care. He announced that a “work for educational purpose” penalty would be created for children under the age of 16 who commit crimes. As a further social measure, he stated that he would ask Government ministers to “try” a four-day week without a reduction in working hours (35 hours in the case of France) and that the administration would bear these costs. wheelchairs for disabled children and teenagers.
He criticized it on the social network as “The most reactionary speech of the century” Jean-Luc MelenchonThe leader of France Insoumise (similar to Sumar or Podemos) makes a statement that is exaggerated but reflects the feeling of the majority of the French people according to polls: Macron and Attal are pursuing a policy of rejection.
All left parties announced that a presentation would be made. motion of censureAlthough Los Republicans (the key party in the Assembly) has not stated its position, there is little chance of improvement. They did this in reaction to the fact that Attal would not undergo an intervention like Élisabeth Borne did in July 2022. investment vote. An anomaly compared to many other European democracies.