France’s most powerful farming union, the FNSEA, has announced a nationwide day of action on Friday, 25 September, heightening pressure on newly appointed Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu.
Union president Arnaud Rousseau told Le Journal du Dimanche that farmers will mobilise across all departments, voicing opposition to what they describe as unfair global competition.
The protests target multiple issues, including the EU’s trade pact with South America’s Mercosur bloc, tariffs imposed on French exports by US president Donald Trump, and the influx of international imports that, according to Rousseau, do not meet French standards.
The timing of the demonstration adds complexity for Lecornu, as the French government is already managing a day of strikes and protests organised by trade unions on 18 September.
FNSEA’s anger centres on the EU–Mercosur agreement, formally approved by the European Commission earlier this month. While the deal includes potential limits on certain agricultural imports, Rousseau maintains it still threatens local producers.
“We want guarantees that our sovereignty, especially food sovereignty, will be protected,” he stated. The union skipped the nationwide mobilisation on 10 September, citing ongoing harvest and sowing activities as the reason for abstention.
Unlike other unions, the FNSEA emphasised that farmers could not participate in prior protests due to active work in vineyards, pastures, maize, beet crops, and cereal sowing. Rousseau stressed, “We didn’t want to be drawn into political manoeuvring around that protest.”
The union now turns its attention to Prime Minister Lecornu, demanding vision and a concrete strategy for French agriculture. Rousseau stressed the importance of government support to help farmers invest and innovate, ensuring the nation’s food sovereignty.
“The FNSEA expects from Mr Lecornu, as from his predecessors, a roadmap to lift French agriculture out of uncertainty and equip us to guarantee the country’s sovereignty,” Rousseau said.
The upcoming protests on 25 September are being closely watched as a measure of both the new prime minister’s ability to manage domestic pressure and Europe’s broader trade agenda under scrutiny.
Observers say the mobilisation could signal the resilience of French agricultural unions and their influence on government policies concerning trade and food security.
As farmers prepare to take to the streets, authorities are bracing for potential disruptions, particularly along key motorways and urban centres, underscoring the high stakes of the protests.
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