Nationwide Protests Erupt Against Controversial 'Duplomb' Agricultural Law in France

On February 7 and 8, extensive protests are set to take place across France opposing the "Duplomb" agricultural self-restraint law proposed by Senator Laurent Duplomb. Over 80 groups, including major environmental and civil society organizations such as Greenpeace, WWF, Confédération paysanne, Oxfam, and Foodwatch, are mobilizing more than 30 demonstrations from Boulogne-sur-Mer to Albi. These protests vehemently criticize government agricultural policies and European legislative initiatives as being detrimental to public interest, environmental protection, and public health.

A central grievance revolves around the law’s controversial provision to reintroduce banned pesticides, notably acétamipride—a neonicotinoid insecticide harmful to bees and biodiversity. The Constitutional Council previously censured this provision due to inadequate regulatory measures. In response, Senator Duplomb rapidly introduced a new proposal permitting the limited reauthorization of banned pesticides affecting crops such as sugar beets, apples, hazelnuts, and cherries. However, protesters and agricultural unions, including FNSEA and Coordination rurale, argue that this fails to resolve core challenges, especially regarding farmers' income and sustainable agricultural practices.

The widespread opposition has seen a petition demanding the repeal of the "Duplomb" law gather over 2.1 million signatures, significantly surpassing the 500,000 threshold required for a parliamentary debate, scheduled to coincide with a major rally in Paris on February 11. The law, adopted last summer, also facilitates water storage and expansion of livestock buildings—elements met with criticism amidst concerns for environmental impact and agricultural sustainability.

The coalition known as "Nourrir," which includes the notable groups Greenpeace and WWF, has denounced recent government announcements on agriculture and the environment as paradoxically harmful to public interest. Protesters view the law and associated European legislative efforts as setbacks that neglect meaningful solutions for agriculture, environmental protection, and public health, sparking a broad social movement across France.

As protests unfold nationwide and parliamentary debate approaches, the controversy surrounding the "Duplomb" law not only spotlights concerns about pesticide use but also amplifies rural and environmental voices calling for a reevaluation of France’s agricultural policies to better support farmers and ecological sustainability.