Highlights: Gabriel Attal's general policy speech was followed by farmers gathered in Jossigny, 40 km from Paris, on this blockade of the A4 motorway. The hundred or so farmers gathered on this section of the highway listened religiously to the Prime Minister's speech around a makeshift enclosure. Everyone was expecting strong measures, announcements... and above all a step from the government towards them, but this is not the case, they are sorry here in J Mossigny. Others want to change gear... Motivated and uplifted, they will remain stuck and will take the road, by tractor, towards Brussels to make their voice heard. And why not joined by their European counterparts.

Gabriel Attal's general policy speech was followed by farmers gathered in Jossigny, 40 km from Paris, on this blockade of the A4 motorway. Reporting.

France: the disappointment of farmers after Gabriel Attal's speech

Gabriel Attal's general policy speech was followed by farmers gathered in Jossigny, 40 km from Paris, on this blockade of the A4 motorway. Reporting.

A tractor displays a banner reading "our work has a price", as farmers from Meuse and Moselle block the A4 motorway near Jossigny, east of Paris, on January 30, 2024. AFP - BERTRAND GUAY

By: RFI Follow

The hundred or so farmers gathered on this section of the highway listened religiously to the Prime Minister

's speech

around a makeshift enclosure.

And barely

had Gabriel Attal finished

when we saw the crestfallen faces of the participants... Reaction from Alain, beret on his head and muddy boots on his feet. He wasn't expecting anything, but he's still disappointed.

I think that Gabriel Attal, already at first, he flattered us, he has convictions, he knew how to talk to us. Earlier, I almost applauded. I thought he was an agricultural union leader. Well, the problem, I'll tell you, it's quite simple, is that in the end, we have our feet on the ground and we still base ourselves on old sayings. And here I will tell you the saying, it is “a new broom sweeps well”. And so I wait, I wait 15 days, 3 weeks... But the peasants who are there, where I am with them, they will not wait. They won't wait 15 days, I'm sorry, they won't wait just one day... The broom will have to work well. And the broom is sweeping away the orders from Brussels and today, my farmer friends, all my friends there, they are suffocated only by that.

00:44

Alain, farmer: “I almost applauded. I thought he was a union leader..."

Stéphane Geneste

Everyone was expecting strong measures, announcements... and above all a step from the government towards them, but this is not the case, they are sorry here in Jossigny.

Gabriel Attal's speech had barely finished when the farmers of the Meuse arrived in Jossigny with fanfare. 40 tractors have just passed and counting! pic.twitter.com/22dlYMSYYR

— Stéphane Geneste (@stephanegeneste) January 30, 2024

Others want to change gear... Motivated and uplifted, they will remain stuck and in the coming hours, they will take the road, by tractor, towards Brussels to make their voice heard before the European institutions. And why not joined by their European counterparts.

Read alsoAgricultural crisis in France: new day of mobilizations, policies on all fronts

France: the disappointment of farmers after Gabriel Attal's speech

France: the disappointment of farmers after Gabriel Attal's speech

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