European leaders should take farmers’ protests seriously

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It doesn’t take a sophisticated political observer or analyst to realize that European peasants took to the streets in unprecedented numbers.

They are seeking to take advantage of political opportunities in this super-election year, with European elections scheduled for early June.

Strategically, now is the best time to air their grievances and force politicians to pay close attention to what they say.

The farmers have maximized their chances of success, so we don’t criticize their tactics too harshly, even though their approach is causing headaches in many European cities and capitals. You shouldn’t.

Focusing solely on the repertoire of protests, what can farmers do to make their case more convincing and vivid to those who witness and are more or less affected by the protests? It is a mistake to focus on

No matter how many memes you see on social media, or AI-generated images of straw bales surrounding the Eiffel Tower, this is more than just an aesthetic exercise.

invitation to honest discussion

Many farmers in Europe are suffering, especially small and family farms.

For them, this activity is part of their identity, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to survive economically in a world where every input becomes more expensive and margins are forced to be cut until profits become a chimera. I feel that there is.

Moreover, this whole episode is more than an attempt to negotiate from a position of strength under the threat that farmers (and the rural world in general) will abandon their conservative and center-right voting tendencies to increase the chances of radicals. It should be seen as something. In this very important year.

So, in a normal world, these events should be an invitation to honest debate and decision-making, well-thought-out policy, and true participation that goes beyond photo-ops and serious engagement until the polls close. . .

As I watch these protests, I instinctively sympathize with the demands of these people and wonder if this is part of a larger trend of various groups feeling marginalized and alienated. Sho.

So it’s natural to wonder who will be next. Who will put more pressure on European and domestic elites? What happens will largely depend on how politicians respond to farmers’ plight and grievances.

Now is the time for appeasement, not escalation.

Apparently, a rational perspective starts with numbers. Therefore, as many have already pointed out, agriculture accounts for only 1.4% of EU GDP, 4.2% of EU employment and 14.3% of EU greenhouse gas emissions, while at the same time They receive about 30% of the volume. EU budget.

In the context of the EU’s pursuit of climate neutrality, the implementation of the Green Deal and the fight against climate change in general, farmers should not be in too much trouble, at least when considering these numbers.

But the reality is more nuanced and requires approaching all of this from a different angle, taking into account political inequalities, responsiveness, and the willingness of people who feel betrayed by their representatives to act.

In the wake of the farmers’ mini-uprising, we see governments rushing to introduce farm-friendly policies and the EU making significant concessions that amount to a major watering down of the Green Deal and farm-to-fork strategy. I’ve seen it happen.

Suddenly, in a critical election year, all decision makers have become risk-averse. A few days ago, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised the “remarkable resilience” of farmers and announced that “farmers can count on European support.”

Additionally, she launched a “strategic dialogue” aimed at responding to the demands of people working on the land.

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These are all positive developments, and European and national leaders should be commended for understanding the position of public opinion and that now is the time for negotiation and appeasement, not escalation.

Return the Elite to Earth

At the same time, all these events highlight a highly reactive political system. A far-sighted (or re-election-minded) politician could have predicted all these events, rather than betting on the farmers’ non-responsiveness and being surprised to find them in front of major European institutions in Brussels. I could have done it.

Naturally, we don’t ask politicians to predict the future or become super-forecasters. But it is clear that we need to better understand the consequences of the policies they propose.

The key lesson here is that the overall positive effects of regulation are not that important. It is distributional effects that drive mobilization and action, and these need to be estimated more accurately so that those who may suffer losses are quickly and adequately compensated.

The power of an enraged minority to act should not be underestimated, as this poses significant political and electoral risks. The past few weeks have proven that.

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For everyone who loves the European Union, the image that emerges from these protests is of a political elite far removed from the people, who must be brought back to the ground to understand what is really happening under their watch. It had to be done.

Correct diagnosis and corresponding treatment

Inadequate impact assessments, indifference to distributional impacts, and unresponsiveness are some of the political pathologies we have been observing recently. I hope that after a correct diagnosis, a (political) treatment will be established.

The increased focus on small farms, family businesses and how Europe should maintain and strengthen its food security all follows what’s happening on Europe’s high streets, from Brussels to Bucharest and Paris to Rome. It’s part of a serious discussion.

Before condemning populists who have exploited these events, we should all have some perspective and ask ourselves what we can do to help farmers and other similar categories return to normal politics and advocacy.

We need politics and decision-making to be a little less boring, but much more responsive to the needs of our people.

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Radu Magdin is the CEO of SmartLink and a former advisor to the Prime Minister of Romania (2014-2015) and Moldova (2016-2017).

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