Farmers in several European countries are continuing their protests, and their anger could have an impact in the E.U. election in June. Some far-right parties have taken notice of the feelings of this voting group that is traditionally anchored to the right of the political spectrum, and they are riding the wave of this agricultural discontent all the way to the ballot box.

Brussels

Farmers across multiple European nations are persisting with protests against issues unsettling to their industry, signaling a period of agricultural discontent. Their ongoing anger is believed to potentially influence the outcome of the upcoming European Union election scheduled for June. Far-right political parties, in particular, are capitalizing on the dissatisfaction among the farming communities—a demographic traditionally aligned with right-wing political leanings—attempting to harness their grievances for electoral gains.

This political maneuvering by far-right factions indicates a strategic recognition of the farmers' frustrations and their potential as a significant voting bloc. The intersection of agricultural unrest and political opportunism underscores the complex dynamics at play in the lead-up to the European Union election. It suggests that the enduring protests and the sentiments they embody could indeed sway the electoral landscape, with considerable implications for the political composition of the EU moving forward.



Could farmers’ anger have an impact on the E.U. election?

For the third time in a few weeks, firecrackers and smoke darken the sky in Brussels' E.U. border. The concessions given to them by the E.U. so far have not been enough for these farmers, particularly the youngest among them. JEAN-MARIE GAUTHIER, E.U. Farmer Translator, France Interpreter.: Young people have a lot of expenses, so are most in need of fair income. For the moment, they don't have it. SIMON OSTROVSKY, E.U. Farmer Translator, France Interpreter.: This anger could push these young people to move away from the traditional vote of the agricultural electorate. It's clear that it was more center-right or even right-wing, but, here, all the cards are reshuffled, and we don't know who the farmers will turn to. But there is clearly a distrust of the parties who are in power for a certain number of years and who had agriculture within their prerogatives. SIMON OSTROVSKY, E.U. Farmer Translator, France Interpreter, France Interpreter 1. Especially since, for several months in the European Parliament, far-right parties have been moving into traditional territory of the right by casting themselves as the spokespeople for farmers. I have come to tell you about the distress of those who freed us. But for this Belgian farmer, there is no way he would cast his vote for the far-right. Eighteen months ago, he took over 25 percent of his family's farm and encountered many difficulties. Despite that, the solutions advocated by certain groups don't seem to be the right ones to him. JEAN-BAPTISTE DUMAS, Farmer Translator, France Interpreter, France Interpreter 2. It's a speech we hear very often at demonstrations, where we demand a radical increase in premises. For me, these are somewhat empty words. Forcing changes to a market risks unbalancing everything. JEAN-BAPTISTE DUMAS, Farmer Translator, France Interpreter 2. The embrace of state interventionism has been an ideological evolution for certain far-right groups. JEAN-BAPTISTE DUMAS, Farmer Translator, France Interpreter 2. Very clearly, in the 80s, we had far-right groups, typically the National Front in France, which were more of a neoliberal trend. But they have evolved their discourse on a set of elements, because it's an opportunity to capitalize on societal unease and perhaps further broaden their electoral base. JEAN-BAPTISTE DUMAS, Farmer Translator, France Interpreter 2. The far-right's other target is the environmental measures of the European Green Deal, which remain at the heart of the debate, despite already being significantly watered down recently by the E.U.

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