Two of France’s main farming unions had on Thursday encouraged protesters who have staged hundreds of tractor blockades across the country to return home, after the government listed the measures it will be putting in place, to try to pacify the anger in a movement that has spread across Europe.
While the local fury varies, the unrest, spotted in Belgium, Portugal, Greece and Germany, has revealed the dissatisfaction over the impact on farming of the EU’s drive to fight climate change, as well of opening the door to inexpensive Ukrainian imports to help Kyiv’s in their effort to win the war.
The Farmer’s anger across Europe include being stifled by green rules, taxes, rising costs and unfair competition from abroad.
The frustration boiled over in Brussels earlier on Thursday, when farmers threw eggs and stones at the European Parliament, and started fires and set off fireworks as they pressured EU leaders who were at a summit nearby to do more help them.
As French unions have called for the blockades to be removed, the question remains as to whether farmers will lift their blockades in France – and what exactly will happen to protests that have spread across Europe.
The French farmers had upped the ante up in their tractor protests as from Monday after over two weeks of protests.
Worried about further escalations, the government promised on Thursday to offer the Farmers more protection, by better controlling imports and giving farmers extra aid.
