French farming protests could target Paris, union chief says
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
French farmers block the A16 highway with their tractors and hay bales to protest over price pressures, taxes and green regulation, grievances that are shared by farmers across Europe, near Beauvais, France, January 23, 2024. REUTERS/Abdul Saboor
DeeperDive is a beta AI feature. Refer to full articles for the facts.
PARIS - Protests by French farmers demanding better working and living conditions could intensify and road blockades could target Paris, the head of the country's biggest farming union said on Wednesday.
"I am not ruling out any option," Arnaud Rousseau, the head of the FNSEA farming union, said when asked by France 2 TV if the protests could disrupt the Paris region.
The protests, heading into a second week after spilling over from neighbouring countries such as Germany, come as campaigning for European Union elections gathers pace. The unrest is the first major challenge for new Prime Minister Gabriel Attal.
The protests have blocked many important transport networks in southern France this week, and there have been signs that they are spreading. REUTERS
