The Salon, which opens Saturday, is historically a key second for French politics. This 12 months it was meant to be Macron’s alternative to attach with farmers after weeks of intense protests, which are nonetheless ongoing.
Macron’s U-turn follows French farmers’ choice to boycott the controversy to protest the invitation to the controversial inexperienced group.
Throughout a press briefing on Thursday, the Elysée introduced that Soulèvements de la Terre was invited to the controversy, even if final 12 months Macron’s authorities tried to ban that group.
Arnaud Rousseau, the top of influential farm foyer FNSEA introduced on Thursday that he would not participate within the debate with Macron, including that inviting Soulèvements de la Terre was a ”provocation.” French Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau on Friday additionally criticized the invitation.
After the backlash, on Friday Macron’s workplace tried to avert a disaster, claiming it by no means invited Soulèvements de la Terre and that Thursday’s announcement was an error.
With the intention to attend the opening of the Salon and appease French farmers, Macron had even determined to skip a G7 videoconference organized by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. That decision on Saturday is to incorporate G7 leaders together with U.S. President Joe Biden, in addition to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.