Final week the nation’s agriculture minister, Marc Fesneau, referred to as for “a type of agricultural patriotism,” stressing this shouldn’t be seen as “a foul phrase.”
Prime Minister Gabriel Attal needed to stroll a tightrope as he endorsed French farmers’ criticisms of Brussels regulation, whereas stressing the advantages the EU’s agricultural subsidies deliver to the sector. “We should stay agency in our willpower to protect our French-style agriculture,” Attal mentioned final week, as he promised that Paris would battle in Brussels to chill out farming guidelines.
French makes an attempt to painting the farmers’ disaster as a European drawback come simply months earlier than a European Parliament election, with opposition far-right chief Marine Le Pen piggybacking on the discontent and pointing the finger on the EU.
Siding with farmers and blaming Brussels may make sense as a short-term technique for Macron’s group to be able to suppress rural assist for the far proper within the June election.
“The French have an excellent opinion of farmers and take into account that their state of affairs may be very troublesome,” famous Mathieu Gallard, analysis director at polling agency Ipsos. ”French farmers historically vote for the right-wing events.” A latest ballot confirmed 82 p.c of French voters backing the farmers’ protests.
However blaming Brussels may backfire and undermine Macron’s European inexperienced credentials, specialists warn.