 "Yellow Hat revolt in France: Farmers up in arms, headache for Macron as support for Le Pen swells")
A yellow wave is taking over rural France with farmers in the country expressing discontent with the French President Emmanuel Macron and his government. This month, hundreds gather to celebrate a landmark victory for their movement, led by Coordination Rurale Union.
The group that staged demonstrations across the country is known for its signature yellow hats and had made unprecedented gains in February’s farming union elections. With the win, the union broke the hegemony of the establishment FNSEA in representing farmers in France and Brussels.
According to Politico, the Coordination Rurale Union was at the forefront of recent farmers’ protests in France, outflanking the FNSEA with hard-hitting action, ranging from confrontations with President Emmanuel Macron to setting manure on fire in front of government buildings. However, the aggressive tactics of the group also acquired criticism for what rivals said are intimidation tactics.
How it started and its connection with the National Rally Party
According to the reportage by Politco, the movement was born 40 kilometers from Auch, in the heart of Gasscony, near the Spanish border. Serge Bousquet-Cassagne one of the key figures of the group has around 17 court appearances for actions ranging from vandalizing supermarkets to illegally constructing water basins used for irrigation.
“In this country, if you don’t burn cars you don’t get acknowledged,” he said during a conversation with Politico. Interestingly, Bousquet-Cassagne is closely associated with the French political far right, having called National Rally President Jordan Bardella “their last hope.”
The close association has also sparked speculations that the movement is being fueled by the right-wing party led by Marine Le Pen. Not only this, the overall farmers’ protests have also led to a large chunks of the French countryside swinging far right.
How Le Pen’s party support is swelling
After winning popularity in the industrial area of France, rural heartlands can prove to be a strong reservoir for the National Rally. The party has been trying to gain support in the region by blaming mainstream parties for failed farming policies and accusing Brussels of exposing EU markets to cheaper and inferior foreign produce.
According to the Reconquête Poll, 62 per cent of Yellow hat farmers are hard-core supporters of nationalist parties. The survey was conducted ahead of last June’s European election by research institutes Cevipof and INP Ensat.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsOverall support for both the Yellow Hats union and Marine Le Pen’s party has surged in many parts of rural France, including in Gers, the administrative district to which Auch belongs. In last June’s snap elections, the National Rally got 35 per cent of the vote from this region.
Interestingly, that was up 15 percentage points from two years ago in a region that used to be a stronghold of the Social Democrats. Hence, in the year, the movement has become a strong asset to Le Pen and a headache to Macron.
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