Agriculture. Duplomb Law: Petition against the bill gives hope to environmental defenders

More than 1.4 million this Monday evening. The number of signatures on the petition against the Duplomb law continues to climb on the National Assembly website . "It's truly unprecedented. I didn't think a petition that requires going through France Connect could be so successful," rejoices Mathieu Courgeau, a dairy farmer in Vendée and co-president of the Nourrir collective, which brings together 54 farmers' and citizens' organizations, including WWF, Réseau Action Climat, and Générations futures. He sees this citizen surge as a follow-up to the hundred or so demonstrations organized throughout the country before the law was passed and a reaction to a text he describes as a "museum of horrors," which "single-handedly crystallizes the anger against all the previous votes against the ecological transition."

Certainly, the record number of signatures paves the way for a debate in the National Assembly . This could not take place during the examination of the text, the law having been adopted following a discussion in a joint committee. But, carried by the popular momentum, its opponents now cherish the hope of a pure and simple repeal. This is at least the ambition of the left-wing and ecologist deputies. "The fight is only just beginning," warned the ecologist deputy Sandrine Rousseau , on franceinfo. "During the next parliamentary slots [days reserved for texts from political groups, editor's note], each group of the New Popular Front will have as its text the repeal of the Duplomb law," she assured. The socialists confirmed that they want to bring "at the start of the school year a bill repealing the serious setbacks of the Duplomb law."

The presidential camp, which voted in favor of the law, is seeking the right formula to take into account the success of the petition, without calling into question the Parliament's vote. Gabriel Attal , head of Renaissance, hopes that the government will refer the matter to the National Agency for Food Safety (ANSES) so that it can give its opinion on the text before the possible parliamentary debate. "A petition cannot undo the law, but if it respects the constitutional conditions that can lead to a debate in the National Assembly, we will support this approach," said the head of the MoDem deputies, Marc Fesneau . The leader of the RN, Marine Le Pen, also said she was in favor of a debate in the Assembly, while denouncing "left-wing propaganda."

This debate, however, would not result in a vote, something Mathieu Courgeau cannot be satisfied with. "If the government thinks it can get away with a simple discussion, that would be a serious mistake. It would only fuel distrust of institutions," he asserts. The Nourrir collective expects "a real political response within the week." Long silent, Minister of Agriculture Annie Genevard spoke on X on behalf of the government on Monday evening, assuring that she was "fully available" for a parliamentary debate.

For his part, LR senator Laurent Duplomb , who gave his name to the law, believes that the petition is mainly aimed at "putting pressure on the Constitutional Council" which must rule on the law by August 10. If it validates the law, the left is calling on Emmanuel Macron not to promulgate it and to ask Parliament for a second deliberation. Hope, always.