French Public Outcry Grows Over Duplomb Law Reintroducing Controversial Pesticide
Growing public dissent against the Duplomb law permits debate in the National Assembly as a petition surpasses 800,000 signatures.
Key Points
- • Petition against the Duplomb law exceeds 800,000 signatures, prompting a National Assembly debate.
- • The law reintroduces acetamipride, a neonicotinoid pesticide banned in France.
- • Senator Laurent Duplomb dismisses the petition's impact, emphasizing farming competitiveness.
- • Leftist deputies contest the law in the Constitutional Council for undermining environmental and health rights.
A growing backlash against the recently adopted Duplomb law in France, which permits the reintroduction of the pesticide acetamipride, is intensifying as petitions against the legislation soar. As of July 20, 2025, a petition spearheaded by 23-year-old student Eléonore Pattery has gathered over 800,000 signatures, triggering a debate in the National Assembly despite not leading to a reassessment of the law itself.
Eléonore Pattery, who launched the petition on July 10, described the law as an 'aberration' that endangers public health, biodiversity, and food security. The significant public engagement on social media has seen endorsements from various public figures, including actor Pierre Niney, further amplifying the call for the law's immediate repeal and a review of the adoption process. Pattery argued that the conditions of the Duplomb law threaten the integrity of French agriculture, emphasizing that the ecological repercussions could be dire.
Laurent Duplomb, the senator from Les Républicains who introduced the controversial law, reacted to the petition with indifference, suggesting it merely reflected dissatisfaction among opponents. He stated, 'There will surely be a debate organized at the National Assembly to reiterate what has been said over the last six months,' reinforcing his belief that banning acetamipride would jeopardize the competitiveness of French farmers.
The Duplomb law, adopted by Parliament on July 8, 2025, allows for conditional use of acetamipride, a neonicotinoid pesticide banned in France but still allowable in some other European nations. In the face of this legislation, leftist deputies have taken action, filing a complaint with the Constitutional Council to contest its alignment with environmental preservation and health rights on July 11. Amidst the mounting opposition and forthcoming discussions in the National Assembly, the debate over the Duplomb law is showcasing the friction between agricultural practices and environmental health in contemporary France.