Chloé Lagadou / Credits: Laure Boyer / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP 8:46 a.m., March 2, 2024

As the end of the Agricultural Show approaches, Jean Fritsch, an Alsatian farmer, draws up a sort of assessment at the microphone of Europe 1. Tired by the mobilization which has lasted for several weeks and disappointed by the behavior of Emmanuel Macron, however, assures that the fight will continue, particularly on the side of Brussels. 

As the 2024 edition of the Salon de l'Agriculture ends this weekend, the mobilization of the agricultural world continues.

Friday, heavy-handed actions were carried out by the Rural Coordination on the Champs Élysées and 72 people were placed in police custody.

On the farmers' side, we despair of being heard by the government and fatigue is accumulating, but the fight is not over, explains Jean Fritsch, an Alsatian farmer, to Europe 1.

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“Support our Belgian friends”

“We've already been mobilized for three, four weeks, especially at the local level. It's starting to be a little hard and then, well, we also have to do the work at home. Spring will arrive, we will have a big overload of work in the coming time, so we'll see how things work out," he confides.

He also explains that the fight could continue near Strasbourg or even in Belgium.

"In Alsace, we have the European Parliament, so it's more there, I think that our demands will be taken and perhaps subsequently to Brussels. The goal is also to support the Belgian friends who are causing chaos in Brussels ahead of the European elections. Even before the show, we still had a little hope of being heard and ultimately, we know that whatever we say, our leaders don't care.

Jean Fritsch points the finger in particular at the behavior of Emmanuel Macron.

“We saw it clearly again, it was obvious to me during the inauguration of the show. The President's attitude for me was anything but respectful as far as we are concerned.”