FRANCE: ONE MILLION SIGNATURES AGAINST CONTROVERSIAL PESTICIDE LAW

A petition launched by a student in France has garnered one million signatures, protesting the "Duplomb" law, which reauthorizes a pesticide previously banned in the country. The initiative has ignited fierce debate, even though it won't directly repeal the law.

The petition, initiated by a student on July 10, just two days after the adoption of Senator Laurent Duplomb's (Les Républicains) bill, has reached a remarkable one million signatures on the National Assembly's website. The law allows for the reintroduction of a neonicotinoid pesticide, under certain conditions, that France had previously prohibited, unlike other European countries.

While this massive public outcry could trigger a parliamentary debate, the law itself won't be re-examined or repealed. However, as the law has not yet been promulgated, members of La France Insoumise and Ecologists are urging the government to abandon its promulgation, citing the significant public backlash.

Farmers' unions, conversely, have warned of "the disappearance of French agriculture" if the government imposes stricter regulations than those in neighboring European countries. The pesticide at the heart of the controversy is acetamiprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide. Beet and hazelnut growers, among others, claim it's indispensable, asserting they have no alternatives against pests that devastate their crops. A ban, they argue, would lead to unfair competition from farmers in other countries.

Adding to the controversy are beekeepers, who caution against acetamiprid, labeling it a "bee killer." The product and its potential effects on humans have long been a source of debate and concern.