Farmers prepare to blockade roads around Paris and elsewhere on Monday
Major protests in support of controversial farming bill are expected
Road blockades were a major tactic used in the 2024 protests by farmers (pictured)
Franck Legros/Shutterstock
Farmers are planning a major blockade of motorways around Paris on Monday (May 26) in a fresh wave of protests centred around a controversial bill that MPs will debate next week.
The blockade - announced by the FRSEA and Young Farmers unions on social media - will last for an undetermined amount of time and is likely to be a focal point of the protests. It will focus on major motorways entering into the city.
Small-scale disruption, at a local level, was called for from yesterday (May 21) in the lead up to Monday’s protests.
This includes blockades in the Oise department today, where the A16 is expected to be blocked by farmers.
Other protests may be happening this weekend and it is recommended to check local news outlets for details of any disruption.
For larger roads, motorway operators often provide live traffic information, and will update their website to notify drivers of disruption.
Unions are seeking a relaxation of regulations imposed on farmers, and are in favour of the rules included in the proposed ‘Duplomb law’.
This controversial bill has already passed through the Senate – its author is a right-wing Senator and former member of the FNSEA, another major farming union in France – but will be debated in the Assemblée nationale from Monday.
It includes a reauthorisation of certain pesticides, as well as fewer regulations on the construction of major ‘factory’ farming facilities.
Early readings of the bill by committees in the chamber resulted in several amendments.
The changes “run counter to the promises made during the unprecedented mobilisations in 2024,” the unions state.
They say they feel “a sense of betrayal” by MPs, and are calling on farmers to put pressure on elected officials to improve conditions for agricultural workers.
Major protests have been called by the FNSEA union from May 26 onwards, which will be carried out in tandem with protests from the FRSEA and Young Farmers.
Alongside motorway blockades, routes into and out of France may be subject to blocks – particularly with the intention of disrupting the flow of HGVs – and farmers may descend on mairies to protest.
