The trip of the president of the FNSEA Arnaud Rousseau to Agen (Lot-et-Garonne), stronghold of Rural Coordination, was disrupted on Friday by this virulent competing union, the epilogue of a week of agricultural mobilization which launches the battle for professional elections end of January.
The arrival of Arnaud Rousseau for the National Congress of Vegetable Producers met with a hostile reception from the CR47: around fifty activists gathered at midday in front of the CRS stationed in front of the gates from the exhibition center, where the prefect of the department was.
In an electric atmosphere, they booed the boss of the FNSEA, the majority agricultural union at the national level, letting him return to his vehicle under police escort.
“You are not stopping him from going out but let him see that in Lot-en-Garonne, we are at home”told his troops Serge Bousquet-Cassagne, president (CR) of the department’s chamber of agriculture.
“Guys, we can talk but not like this”reacted Arnaud Rousseau before rushing into his car.
She drove off with a bang and activists tried to block her exit from the parking lot by moving supermarket trolleys and tractors. Several entrances to the commercial area had been blocked by waste fires, slurry and litter.
Muscular welcome
Farmers from the Peasant Coordination demonstrate in Agen, November 22, 2024 / Thibaud MORITZ / AFP
This confrontation comes a few weeks before the vote aimed at electing the departmental chambers of agriculture. The Rural Coordination, which currently chairs three, including that of Lot-et-Garonne for two decades, hopes to break the hegemony of the FNSEA-JA alliance and delight “15 to 20 rooms” additional.
Thursday evening, the FDSEA47 had accused the Rural Coordination, with text messages in support, of wanting to disrupt the arrival of Arnaud Rousseau.
Serge Bousquet-Cassagne, for his part, demanded an interview with the boss of the FNSEA, which the latter refused. “If (Arnaud) Rousseau speaks, it’s with Véronique Le Floc’h (national president of the CR, Editor’s note), that’s all”justified the FDSEA47.
“He got scared, even though our intention was absolutely not to keep him hostage”replied Serge Bousquet-Cassagne. ” Too bad. The peasants of France (…) will have understood who defends them and who does not. »
“After the hunt for (Marine) Tondelier, the red carpet for (Jordan) Bardella, they want the hunt for Rousseau. Is that what democracy is? »reacted to AFP Emilie Etcheverry, director of the FDSEA47.
At the end of March 2023, the Rural Coordination gave a warm welcome to the national secretary of environmentalists and on November 10, Serge Bousquet-Cassagne welcomed the president of the National Rally, visiting the department, “like the messiah”.
« Chaos »
The president of the FNSEA agricultural union, Arnaud Rousseau, upon his arrival at the French Vegetable Congress in Agen, November 22, 2024 / Thibaud MORITZ / AFP
Arnaud Rousseau castigated the “modus operandi” of people “who want chaos”.
“To (get results), you have to work. You have to work in Brussels, in Paris. And you shouldn’t just use the communication tool”he told the press upon his arrival in Agen.
The last major action carried out this week by the CR, the blockade of the commercial port of Bordeaux, started Wednesday evening, ended Friday morning.
José Pérez, co-president of CR47, estimated that Prime Minister Michel Barnier had responded to demands concerning the « surtransposition » rules imposed by the European Union, which would penalize certain sectors.
The CR des Landes also unblocked a Leclerc purchasing center in Mont-de-Marsan. Two other mass distribution platforms remained blocked on Friday in Charente.
According to the authorities, 335 farmers with 186 agricultural machines were mobilized at midday in seven departments, mainly in the South-West and the South.
The next demonstrations, at the call of the FNSEA, must take place next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
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