Les députés s'augmentent de 300€, regardez ce qu'il en fait

Summary

In an engaging interview on RMC BFM TV, François Ruffin, a La France Insoumise (LFI) deputy and journalist, discusses the pressing issues facing France's agricultural sector, including the struggles of farmers to live dignified lives from their work. He criticizes the recent €300 monthly increase for deputies amidst rising inflation and stagnant wages, advocating instead for the redirection of such funds towards agricultural solidarity. Ruffin highlights the failure of the government and assembly to protect farmers against market failures and calls for regulated minimum pricing to ensure fair compensation for their produce. The conversation also touches on environmental challenges, trade agreements, and the need for a strategic pivot in agricultural policy to balance competitiveness with domestic needs.

Takeaways

• 😠 Ruffin criticizes the decision to increase deputies' budgets while refusing wage indexation for citizens struggling with inflation
• 😌 Ruffin pledges to donate his budget increase to farmer solidarity organization
• 🤔 Ruffin claims the government holds a "double discourse" on agriculture - seeking high standards while also competitiveness
• 😞 Ruffin argues that free trade and lack of market regulations are crushing French farmers
• 🇪🇺 Ruffin calls for a "agricultural exception" in EU treaties allowing protections like minimum pricing
• 💰 Ruffin repeats his demand for guaranteed minimum prices to cover production costs of farmers
• 😡 Ruffin slams the power imbalance allowing the Lactalis group to impose unfair contracts on milk producers
• 😒 Ruffin regrets that Ukrainian cereal imports are benefiting French agribusinesses rather than transiting abroad as intended
• 🌍 Ruffin signed a cross-party letter asking Macron to halt Mercosur free trade negotiations
• 😌 While supportive of protests, Ruffin hopes solutions emerge without violence

Q & A

What is the main demand of the French farmers in their protests?

The main demand of the French farmers is to be able to live decently from their work. They want fair prices for their products that cover their production costs.

Why did the French deputies vote to increase their own allowances?

The French deputies voted to increase their allowances by 300 euros per month to cover increased costs. This happened even as they rejected indexing salaries to inflation for regular citizens.

What does François Ruffin propose as a solution to the farmers' crisis?

François Ruffin proposes guaranteed minimum prices (prix planchers) set by the state so that farmers can cover their costs and make a decent living from their work.

How has European solidarity with Ukraine impacted French farmers?

Imports of cheaper Ukrainian grains and poultry have been flooding the French market instead of just transiting to North Africa as intended originally. This has hurt French farmers.

What does François Ruffin mean by an 'agricultural exception'?

An 'agricultural exception' would allow France to have some protectionist measures for its agricultural sector, exempting it from general free trade rules.

How does François Ruffin view the role of the state in regulating agricultural markets?

François Ruffin wants the state to play a much more interventionist role in setting minimum prices and import quotas to protect French farmers from volatile global markets.

What tensions exist between environmental standards and farmers' incomes?

Tensions arise because meeting higher environmental standards often increases costs for farmers, while importing cheaper products from abroad can undermine their incomes.

How does François Ruffin propose dealing with the drought and water scarcity issues?

François Ruffin suggests accompanying farmers in adapting to water scarcity, for example by planting less water-intensive crops like sorghum to replace some corn cultivation.

What happened after World War 2 that helped French agriculture?

After WW2, the French state massively intervened to boost domestic production - providing machinery, chemicals, land consolidation etc. This helped achieve food self-sufficiency by the 1970s.

How does François Ruffin contrast the current situation with the post-war period?

Unlike the post-war dirigiste policies, Ruffin criticizes the current government for not giving a clear direction to farmers and accompanying them through the ecological transition.