Summary of the day
Farmers blocked roads across France.
The protesting farmers want the government to cut red tape and taxes, as well as ensure better prices for produce.
A woman died in southern France after a car hit a roadblock set up by farmers.
Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said he has asked the government to be fully mobilised to provide concrete solutions to farmers’ difficulties.
Arnaud Rousseau, the head of the FNSEA farming union, said that the protests could last “a day, a week” or “as long as it takes” for the government to respond.
Arnaud Gaillot, the head of the Young Farmers union, said: “We won’t lift the roadblocks until the prime minister makes very clear announcements.”
Germany is gearing up for a large strike by the train drivers’ union GDL, set to begin on Wednesday and last until Monday.
Deutsche Bahn said the strike would result in “massive disruptions”.
The German constitutional court ruled that an extreme-right party, Die Heimat, should have its tax relief cancelled.
Updated
Here are more images from the French farmers’ road blockades today.
Updated
Election watch: Portugal
Polling from Portugal puts the centre-left Socialist party in the lead ahead of the country’s March parliamentary election, but also shows the far-right Chega making gains.
The study, done by Intercampus for Correio da Manha and Jornal de Negocios, shows:
Socialist party: 26.4%
Democratic Alliance: 20.8%
Chega: 16.6%
Updated
The French farmers’ protests – calling on the government to cut red tape and taxes and ensure better prices for produce – are presenting Emmanuel Macron’s newly appointed prime minister, Gabriel Attal, with his first major headache as convoys of tractors continued to block key roads across France on Tuesday and farmers held demonstrations in towns.
Attal met farming unions on Monday night but did not assuage their anger. From Tuesday morning, farmers blocked roads across the country, including the area around Toulouse in the south-west, to Isère in the south-east, and Beauvais in the north.
“We’re prepared for anything, we’ve got nothing to lose,” said Josep Perez, a protester interviewed by BFM TV at a roadblock in the south-western fruit-growing region around Agen, where traffic on the A62 motorway had been disrupted.
Farmers on Tuesday drove to the prefect’s office in Agen and dumped piles of tripe from a local abattoir, threw kiwifruit and splattered the front of the building in red paint. They hung a banner saying: “We won’t die in silence.”
Arnaud Rousseau, the head of the FNSEA farming union, told RMC radio that the protests could last “a day, a week” or “as long as it takes” for the government to respond. “Every minute, we’re learning of a new roadblock,” he said. Every single département in France would be involved at some point during this week, he said.
Macron speaks out
Emmanuel Macron, the French president, sent a message to the country’s farmers, writing on social media that he has asked the government to be fully mobilised to provide concrete solutions to their difficulties.
He also said his thoughts are with the victims of the incident in Pamiers, where a car hit a farmers’ roadblock, killing a woman and injuring others.
Le drame de Pamiers nous bouleverse tous. Je pense avec émotion aux victimes et à leurs proches endeuillés.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) January 23, 2024
À nos agriculteurs : j’ai demandé au gouvernement d’être pleinement mobilisé pour apporter des solutions concrètes aux difficultés que vous rencontrez.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) January 23, 2024
14-year old not dead, French authorities say
French authorities have clarified that the 14-year old who was injured when a car hit a farmers’ roadblock has not died, contrary to information communicated earlier.
Updated
Alternative for Germany (AfD) is down in the polls.
An Insa/Bild opinion poll found that AfD’s popularity has declined from 23% to 21.5% within the space of a week.
Sonntagsfrage zur Bundestagswahl • INSA/BILD: CDU/CSU 30,5 % | AfD 21,5 % | SPD 13,5 % | GRÜNE 12,5 % | FDP 5 % | DIE LINKE 3 % | FREIE WÄHLER 2,5 % | Sonstige 11,5 %
— Wahlrecht.de (@Wahlrecht_de) January 22, 2024
➤ Übersicht: https://t.co/Gzilw3J3L9
➤ Verlauf: https://t.co/vnhJf7ub9S pic.twitter.com/gpCn0SmmD3
Here are images from a highway outside Toulouse, where farmers are protesting today.
Updated
The 14-year old daughter of a woman who died when a car hit protesting French farmers’ blockade has also died after being seriously wounded in the incident, BFMTV reports.
UPDATE: French authorities have clarified that the 14-year old has not died, contrary to information communicated earlier.
See update here.
Updated
The German constitutional court ruled today that an extreme-right party should have its tax relief cancelled, Deutsche Welle reported.
The case involves a party called Die Heimat (The Homeland), formerly the Nationalist Democratic party of Germany (NPD).
The court ruled that the party’s tax relief should be cancelled for six years and that state subsidies must be withdrawn, though the party has not recently received subsidies.
Updated
More photos from France this morning, as farmers continue protesting.
Updated
Arnaud Gaillot, the head of France’s Young Farmers union, said protests would continue to intensify, as long as there were no concrete actions.
« Les actions vont continuer à s’intensifier sur tout le territoire tant que nous n’aurons pas d’actes concrets. Elles sont d’une intensité rarement vue car il y a des jeunes désespérés parmi nos troupes » @gaillot_arnaud sur @RTLFrance#AgriSousPression #OnMarcheSurLaTete pic.twitter.com/WgSsM6Bd9L
— Jeunes Agriculteurs (@JeunesAgri) January 23, 2024
Updated
Here are images from southeastern France today, as farmers block a motorway.
Woman dies during French farmers' protest
A woman died this morning in southern France after a car hit a roadblock set up by protesting farmers, Reuters reported citing a police spokesperson.
The spokesperson said:
A car went into a farmers’ roadblock. It hit three people. One woman has died and two others were seriously injured. The three occupants of the car have been arrested.
Updated
Germany prepares for 'massive' six-day rail disruptions
Germany is gearing up for a large strike by train drivers’ union GDL, set to begin Wednesday and last until Monday.
“The GDL has announced strike action for the period from Wednesday, 24 January 2024 to Monday, 29 January 2024,” Deutsche Bahn wrote.
“This will result in massive disruptions to Deutsche Bahn’s long-distance, regional and S-Bahn services during this period. The emergency timetable only ensures very limited train services on DB’s long-distance, regional and S-Bahn services,” it added.
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