US EditionFrench government calls for Christmas truce in farmer protests
Farmers oppose strict cattle disease culling and the EU-Mercosur trade deal, while the government warns no more blockades and urges a holiday pause, FNSEA says truce depends on PM's response.
- On Dec 19, the French government called for a Christmas truce and warned it would not tolerate further blockades during the holiday season.
- Protesting growers oppose nodular dermatitis culls and the EU-Mercosur trade deal, which they say allows substandard imports and was postponed to January.
- On the ground, farmers placed a coffin labelled "RIP Agri" outside President Emmanuel Macron's Le Touquet residence, dumped tons of potatoes, cabbage and manure, and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported 93 actions with 4,000 people and 900 vehicles on four highways including Spain–Bordeaux.
- Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu convened with farm unions, pledging a letter by Friday evening that FNSEA Chairman Arnaud Rousseau called decisive, and will meet Rousseau again between Jan. 8 and 10.
- Union divisions surfaced when Coordination Rurale, led by Bertrand Venteau, stopped short of ending blockades, urging members to "go and rest" as the first blockades lifted on Friday afternoon ahead of weekend Christmas travel.
12 Articles
12 Articles
‘Lumpy skin’ protests intensify across France as farmers fight cull
Officials in France have called for a Christmas truce as protests over government efforts to cull entire cow herds showing signs of a skin disease continue nationwide. For more than a week, farmers have blocked roadways and dumped manure outside government buildings. Meanwhile, authorities press on with their controversial plan to stem the outbreak of nodular dermatitis, also known as lumpy skin disease, an insect-borne infection that affects ca…
French government calls for Christmas truce in farmer protests
The French government on Friday called for a Christmas truce with protesting farmers, warning against further blockades during the holiday season, a move the country's main union said depended on the prime minister's response to their demands.
The calls for a "Christmas truce" are increasing after the announcement of the postponement of the EU-Mercosur agreement and the agricultural unions received on Friday in Matignon are divided on the following blockages to protest the government's management of bovine dermatosis.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 75% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
