Von der Leyen celebrates ‘a great day for Europe’ as farmers trash Brussels
RTFEB 10 2024
Spanish Farmers Join EU Protests
Image copyright: Adri Salido/Contributor/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Farmers in Spain hit the streets on Tuesday to protest high costs, regulations, and competition from other countries by blocking roads across the country with their tractors. The protesters blocked traffic from Seville and Granada in the south to Girona near the French border.
Tuesday's protesters are members of the Spanish Young Farmers' Association (ASAJA), which is voicing its opposition to EU environmental regulations they say are putting them at a disadvantage compared to other agricultural markets.
Spain is the latest in a series of similar farmer protests, including in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Italy. While most of the grievances being voiced around the continent have been similar, some French farmers previously accused their Spanish counterparts of not following all the EU's rules and thus undermining them.
The Spin
Progressive narrative
After achieving historic environmental policies across the EU — such as protecting land for soil rejuvenation and banning toxic pesticides — the EU has decided to throw its hands in the air once again in the face of angry right-wing protesters threatening to block traffic. The EU must stand strong in its stance on environmentalism — otherwise, antagonists will get their way every time they decide they don't like a Green Deal law.
Conservative narrative
Farmers are still protesting because they know these concessions are only lip service. Coming the same day the European Commission promised new concessions, the regulatory body is also planning to issue its revised climate agenda — one that essentially nullifies any recent promises it has made to the farmers. The main provision in this agenda will be to reduce CO2 emissions by 90% by 2040, which will require destroying the agriculture industry in the process.