Duplomb Law and Acetamiprid: François Ruffin Deems EU Deregulation "More Harmful Than Aphids"

The debate continues. As the petition against the Duplomb Law continues its progress and passed the record mark of 1,500,000 signatures on Tuesday, July 22, the political class continues to seize on the issue.

Invited this Tuesday morning to the Grandes Gueules set, François Ruffin, MP for the new "Debout!" party in the Somme region, was asked to speak on the subject. For the left-wing MP, who fiercely opposes the project, the issue is a matter of public health.

"I come from a sugar beet-growing region. [...] When we know that acetamiprid (one of the active substances in neonicotinoids that the Duplomb law plans to reintroduce, editor's note) can end up in the fetus of future babies and in the brains of children, that it is considered very dangerous by scientists, that it will harm intellectual development, there is a duty to protect the health of the French people," François Ruffin insisted this Tuesday morning.

As provided for in the functioning of the National Assembly, a petition against a law obtaining more than 500,000 signatures can allow the opening of a debate in public session, without it being examined again or repealed.

It is precisely the prospect of a debate that first motivates François Ruffin, calling for a new deliberation. "We had a law without debate, now we must not have a debate without a vote. The goal is to restore debate and voting in the National Assembly. The President of the Republic can allow a new deliberation on this text," he explains.

Regarding the popularity of the petition , which continues to be signed, François Ruffin hopes that this strong mobilization ("one and a half million signatures" as of 22/07) will turn into "popular censure at the start of the school year and that there will be demonstrations of 'enough is enough'."

Like the elected officials from the left and the Greens united against this law, François Ruffin is quick to point out that the Somme is particularly targeted by the issue. In this sugar beet-growing region, where agricultural land represents nearly 75% of the area, necotinoids can harm the vegetable crop.

According to departmental figures, sugar beet grown in the Somme represents 45,870 hectares of the department, with 3,200 growers producing 3.7 million tonnes, or 11% of the French beet-growing area.

However, many farmers support this law, some even believing that it does not go "far enough." When asked about the farmers in his constituency, the former France Insoumise representative preferred to play the "Made in France" card and "protect farmers."

"On sugar and beet, we have just increased imports from Ukraine fivefold, it's a no. We are in the process of signing an agreement on Mercosur , it's a no. We can regulate trade." He added, "beet is suffering from deregulation by the European Union, which is more harmful to crops than the aphid was."