“Let's air out the room, let's change the queen”: the Conf' walls up the chamber of agriculture with beehives to denounce its lack of openness

La Confédération paysanne fait entendre ses revendications, devant la chambre d’agriculture, à Mende. Midi Libre – Célian Guignard

While farmers are called to vote until January 31, 2025 to designate their representatives, the Confédération paysanne has organized a sober and symbolic action to assert its demands.

Twelve members of the Confédération paysanne, a left-wing agricultural union, walled up the Lozère Chamber of Agriculture in Mende with beehives on Wednesday, January 22. A sober and symbolic action, carried out by these activists in order to assert their demands. It must be said that the current period is crucial. The elections to elect the various representatives to the chamber are currently in full swing. Voters in college No. 1, that of farm managers and similar workers, have until January 31 to vote.

200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000

“A chamber locked and closed for six years”

In Lozère, three lists are competing, that of the Departmental Federation of Agricultural Workers' Unions (FDSEA) and the Young Farmers JA, who have been at the head of the consular body since 2019, that of the Rural Coordination and that of the Peasant Confederation.

The Conf', which has only one elected representative in Lozère, Muriel Pascal, denounces in particular “a locked and closed chamber of agriculture closed for more than six years.” “The press and the public are banned from the sessions, regrets Julien Delagnes, one of the two spokespersons of the organization in Lozère and head of the list in the elections.Only elected officials can attend.” If it is approved, the Confédération paysanne intends to make the sessions public. Aware that the premises are cramped, it proposes, for example, to broadcast them on video on the internet.

“Concerned about the common good”

If the activists chose beehives to carry out their action, it is not for nothing. “One of our slogans is: “Let's air out the room, let's change the queen,” continues the man who is also a market gardener in Saint-Alban-sur-Limagnole. In addition, the hives are easy to move and set up, and many of our members are beekeepers. Furthermore, we are also concerned about the common good. Unlike other unions, we do not damage public equipment by burning tires, pallets or spreading slurry on buildings. The hives are work tools that beekeepers have kindly lent. They want to get them back in good condition to continue working and earning a living.”

Changing the electoral system

Julien Delagnes and his comrades also denounce a system that they consider undemocratic. “We would like an electoral system that includes proportional representation and that allows all unions to be represented at the fair level of their vote. In addition, it should be noted that agricultural unions are funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, pro rata, at 75% of their election results and 25% of their number of seats in the chambers of agriculture. Currently, the majority union is overrepresented and collects even more money to operate. And he thus manages to maintain his hegemony.”

I subscribe to read the rest