Road blockades by farmers continue on Monday despite call for Christmas truce
A meeting between local union leaders and officials in Toulouse will determine pre-Christmas blockades
Several motorways in the south-west remain. Photo for illustrative purposes only
Filmbildfabrik/Shutterstock
Blockades of certain roads by farmers in the south-west continue today (December 22), despite calls from unions to let families travel without disruption for the Christmas holidays.
Farmers began dismantling some roadblocks on Sunday following the union call, but several major barricades on roads such as the A64 remained in place.
Unions called on protestors to “allow families to reunite for the Christmas holidays,” with a return to action when the season was over.
A meeting between farmers and officials in Toulouse today will likely determine whether blockades remain in place.
Interior Ministry figures report there were 23 protests from around 720 farmers on Sunday (December 21), almost all in the south-west.
This morning, the A64 blockade remains in place in both directions, near Briscous (exit 3) and Montréjeau (exit 17).
In addition, the A63 remains blocked near the Bordeaux ring-road and Marcheprime, with the N21 also blocked south of Tarbes. The A65 near the city however remains blocked.
Blockades of the A75 near Séverac also remain, as does a blockade on the RN88. This motorway was the site of the first protests of the current action.
A ten-day blockade of the N20 south of Toulouse has ended, however France 3 reported the road remained closed earlier this morning.
Drivers are recommended to check live updates through traffic watchdog Bison Futé or local motorway operators – read our article here for more tips.
Will protests continue?
Leading union members and vets in the south-west will meet with officials at the Toulouse prefecture, with the outcome of the meeting potentially easing or reinforcing protests.
With anger over the EU-Mercosur trade agreement – which has seen a crucial vote on this delayed until January – temporarily subsiding, protests are now focussing again on the outbreak of lumpy skin disease in herds of cattle and associated culling orders.
Farmers want an end to culling orders for infected cattle, arguing that the economic and emotional toll of killing cows is unsustainable for the industry.
Union leaders in Occitanie say blockades will continue at least until the meeting, and possibly longer if the outcome is deemed unsatisfactory despite the calls at national level.
Earlier this morning, Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard confirmed that vaccination campaigns in the south-west would prioritise rarer breeds.
