Beyond their activity, the farmers we met share the feeling of a large part of the rural world, of being the “forgotten”, the “abandoned” by politicians and authorities.
ADVERTISEMENTIf the far right was in the majority in rural France in the European elections of June 9, French farmers were not its strongest support. This vote tempts some but others also doubt the capacity of the National Rally (RN) to defend them. And European aid, although criticized, is essential to their survival.
At the entrance to Braslou, a village of 315 inhabitants, located in the south of Touraine, the sign indicating the name of the town is still upside down. He has remained upside down since the anger of farmers which set the countryside ablaze in France and Europe at the start of the year. One way to show that “we walk on our heads”explains one of those who participated in this “turnaround” here and in the surrounding villages.
A cereal farmer, Mathieu* took over from his father at the head of a fairly large farm of 270 hectares. He is one of about ten farmers in the commune and also manages an agricultural works company whose machinery is used for other farms. He is a member of the Young Farmers’ Union (JA), close to the majority FNSEA. Politically, he claims to be a member of the National Rally (RN) of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella.
He voted far right on June 9. He regrets that all European farmers are not subject to the same standards, that certain chemicals banned in France are authorized in Spain, that Ukrainian poultry, with little control, have invaded the French market. “I am not against imports as long as trade is fair and labelling is transparent” he protests.
A Macronist MP appreciated for her listening
On Sunday, June 30, he did not rule out voting to re-elect the deputy from Emmanuel Macron’s camp, Fabienne Colboc. She is “accessible, often in the field, very active and attentive” of the small working group formed with around twenty other operators to follow the measures promised by Emmanuel Macron and his government after the winter crisis.
She received them in Paris in her MP’s office, accompanied them on a visit to school canteens, the supply of which is debated. But the dissolution of the National Assembly decided by Emmanuel Macron brought all work in progress to a halt. He wants to resume them after the electoral sequence.
If he says he is against “macronism”, he qualifies: “If I vote for my ideas, I vote RN. But if I want to defend my profession, I vote for her. The current government has followed our demands.”. On the other hand, he doubts the abilities of the RN candidate, whom he does not know, to listen to and defend farmers.
Mathieu did not forget that the Identity and Democracy (ID) group to which the RN belongs in the European Parliament voted for the free trade agreements with New Zealand. The 15 French RN MEPs voted against but this created doubt.
And then the local RN candidate does not organize a public meeting in the area, the RN agricultural program is barely mentioned. “We vote for someone we feel close to, an approachable interlocutor”he justifies.
In the European elections, in all rural areas in France, the National Rally (RN) came close to 40%, more than 8 points above the country as a whole. In Braslou, the RN obtained 25.4% of the vote on June 9 and the party led by Marine Le Pen’s niece, Marion Maréchal, 7.5%. That is 32.9% for the far right, a little less than at the national level (36.8%).
Europe, a necessary evil
The rural vote is not the peasant vote. And the weight of farmers in the population continues to decrease. Historically, they vote mainly for the traditional right, not for the extreme right. In the European elections, they gave 26% of their votes to the RN, less than the entire French population.
In Braslou, Sylvain, who has grown organic cereals on 150 hectares since 2012, did not go to vote on June 9, like 49% of French voters. The disastrous spring weather did not give him time. We had to sow to catch up. For the legislative elections, he is not sure of anything.
He acknowledges that without European aid he would have to cease his activity. But if “the prices reflected our production costs, we would not need this aid. We must be able to make a living from our profession. I want to defend my remuneration.”
Organic farmer but not eco-friendly
A little further on, Magali and her husband, organic farmers for three generations, strive to maintain a diversified production on 137 hectares: cereals (wheat, flax, sunflower, spelt, millet, etc.), semi-free-range pigs, young cattle, etc., some of which they sell directly. They employ two employees.
Magali also considers that agricultural income was the real demand of the crisis at the beginning of the year. “The European CAP is only compensation for the fact that we are selling at a loss. And France is adding constraints to us, for example satellite flights over organic crops to control them. This requires you to have a latest generation smartphone to connect to a dedicated application. Emmanuel Macron believes that it is digital that will save agriculture” she protests. She is convinced that traditional conventional agriculture, based on chemical fertilizers, will eventually disappear on its own.
The “forgotten” of rural areas
Without saying who she will vote for, she rules out voting for the environmentalists, who are too dogmatic in her eyes – when they oppose, for example, plowing the land. She believes that “the fear of the RN does not make us move forward”.
Beyond their activity, the farmers met share the feeling of a large part of the rural world, of being the “forgotten”, the “abandoned” by politicians and authorities. Desertion from public services, inaccessible social assistance due to incomes which nevertheless remain above the minimum… And they are afraid of insecurity and immigration that they only experience through television.
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