Europe’s farmer protests are spreading. Here’s where and why
Protests around the EU reflect common grievances over debts, price pressures, extreme weather and cheap imports, POLITICO has found.
Polish farmers’ demonstrations have spread to countries like Germany and France | Emmanuel Dunand/AFP via Getty Images
The farmer protests sweeping the European Union may have taken political leaders by surprise. But the tinder was dry and all it took was a spark for unrest to spread like wildfire.
Farmers are being burdened by debt, squeezed by powerful retailers and agrochemical companies, battered by extreme weather, and undercut by cheap foreign imports, for years now — all while relying on a subsidy system that favors the big players.
The war in Ukraine has only made matters worse. A spike in prices for crops like wheat proved to be short-lived. And Russia’s aggression has upended trade flows, causing a supply glut.
Polish farmers were the first to take to the streets and block border crossings, as far back as spring last year. But demonstrations have spread to countries like Germany and France — as this POLITICO infographic shows.
From a two-hour protest action across Poland to a multi-day “siege” of Paris, angry farmers have launched protests across the EU since the start of the year.
Many complain of overbearing EU regulations, high costs and falling incomes. But their grievances vary between and within countries.
The protests have spanned the EU, from east to west.
This map shows locations of protests this year. Hover over each marker to reveal details of the grievances farmers raised.
Source: Politico
