The law passed by parliament means that French farmers can once again use the pesticide acetamiprid. The substance, which has been banned in the country since 2018, not only kills pests but is also believed to kill bees and other pollinating insects. French farmers have demanded the reintroduction of the agent, but the new law has sparked a public outcry in the country.
Now demands a vote
Just two days after the so-called Duplomb law (named after Senator Laurent Duplomb) was adopted, half a million French people had signed the petition, which was started by a 23-year-old student. Two weeks later, the petition has collected over two million signatures, which is a record in France.
The law is now being reviewed by the constitutional committee, which will make its decision in August. President Emmanuel Macron is expected to then implement the law, but critics and opposition politicians are demanding that the president should postpone the implementation and instead let parliament vote again.
Tensions
The law also creates tensions within Macron's government, where the Minister of Agriculture Annie Genevard is in favor, while the Minister of the Environment is more critical. Macron has called for a "reconciliation" between science and "fair competition).
In an opinion poll published in the newspaper La Tribune Dimanche, 61 percent of the French say they are against the law and 64 percent hope that Macron will send the bill back to parliament.
