Backlash in France over pesticide ban reversal: here is why

A new round of debates on a controversial farming law are set to take place in the French parliament after more than one million people signed a petition against the legislation. 

President of the Assemblée nationale Yaël Braun-Pivet said she was ‘favourable’ to organising a debate after the number of signatures the petition received. 

“The French have signed this petition. We will be able to organise a debate on the subject as soon as Parliament reconvenes [in September],” she said on Sunday (July 20). 

The choice to hold a debate will have to be approved by a separate committee. Although this is likely to be approved due to the number of signatories of the petition, it may have little overall impact on the bill since it has already been voted in favour of by both MPs and Senators. 

It is “now up to the Constitutional Council to rule on the law and its legality,” and further debate in the political chamber cannot influence this, Ms Braun-Pivet added.

The Senator responsible for introducing the bill has come out against the measure, arguing that the queries raised in the petition were already discussed in detail by MPs and Senators during the voting process. The bill was approved by a majority of Senators (70% in favour) and MPs (60% in favour).

“This petition system is designed to put pressure on the Constitutional Council and hope that it does not validate the law,” said Laurent Duplomb to media outlet RMC. 

The Council will rule on the law – stating whether it is valid in its scope and does not go against France’s constitution – by August 10, meaning any debates in the Assemblée may come after the law has been promulgated by French President Emmanuel Macron. 

Why is the law controversial? 

The ‘Loi Duplomb’, named after Senator Laurent Duplomb, aims to bring widespread rule changes to the agricultural sector and quell farmers’ anger after several rounds of protests in 2024 and 2025.

The law aims to reduce several regulations in the industry and make it ‘easier’ for farmers to practice their trade. 

This includes reducing regulations on greenhouse gas emissions on ‘factory’ farms (in turn allowing them to be bigger and less controlled), changing water usage rules in the sector, and limiting the impact of environmental agency ANSES on farmers.

(Re)-legalisation of controversial pesticide

 Most controversially, the law allows for the re-legalisation of certain pesticides.

One pesticide in question is acetamiprid, which was banned in France in 2020 and has been a point of contention since. 

Re-authorising the chemical was sometimes listed as one of the demands by farmers during protest action. 

Used for many crops, including leafy greens, fruits, and notably cherries, the pesticide was banned “on the basis of a political decision,” said Mr Duplomb. 

“The Director General of ANSES made it clear at the hearing that the decision to ban had not been taken following a scientific study,” he added. 

“Acetamiprid is authorised in 26 out of 27 EU countries.” 

France is the only country in the bloc to have so far banned the pesticide, but the current rules elsewhere in the EU only authorise the pesticide until 2033, after which point it must be approved again. 

Mr Duplomb claims that as the pesticide is only banned in France, farmers in the country are unfairly impacted and at a disadvantage against growers in other EU states.

A growing body of literature claims that as a neonicotinoid, the pesticide is dangerous to humans, as well as a potential reason for declining bee populations in Europe. 

In 2024 a major anti-pesticide lobby asked the EU to withdraw the pesticide from the market. 

The petition against the law has already passed the threshold to be considered for a debate by MPs, but can be found and signed here.