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PoliticsFrench joint committee reaches compromise on agricultural emergency bill with contested water and pesticide measures
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On July 16, a joint committee of 14 French deputies and senators reached a compromise on the agricultural emergency bill, originally drafted in response to farmers' protests earlier this year. The text retains several controversial measures on water management and the reintroduction of banned pesticides, which were largely introduced by the Senate. The committee vote saw support from the right and National Rally (8 votes in favor), abstention from Macronist deputies, and opposition from the left (4 votes against). The bill now heads to final votes in the National Assembly on Monday evening and the Senate on Tuesday. Left-wing deputy Aurélie Trouvé criticized the outcome, stating that right-wing senators dictated the law. The final adoption remains uncertain as the text includes sensitive provisions that may affect its majority support in the Assembly.
Source report
Paris — Deputies and senators reached a compromise on Thursday, July 16, on the agricultural emergency bill, paving the way for its final adoption despite the retention of several contested measures on water management and the reintroduction of banned pesticides, several members of the joint committee (CMP), meeting behind closed doors, told Le Monde.
After more than six hours of debates and discussions, fourteen parliamentarians from both chambers, meeting in this CMP, agreed on a common text for the bill, drafted in response to farmers' anger this winter.
Key Developments
- Vote outcome: The text was voted for by the right and the National Rally (8 votes in favor), with the abstention of Macronist deputies and opposition from the left (4 votes against).
- Next steps: The bill must now be submitted for a final vote in the National Assembly on Monday evening and in the Senate on Tuesday, with a view to final adoption.
- Uncertainty remains: Whether it will secure a majority among deputies is still in question, as the final version includes several sensitive measures introduced mostly by the Senate, primarily on pesticides and water.
Reactions
"Right-wing senators dictated their law," "rebellious" deputy Aurélie Trouvé, a member of the CMP, fumed on social network X.
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Image: Irrigation system in a cornfield, in Saint-Philbert-de-Bouaine (Vendée), July 10, 2026. STEPHANE MAHE/REUTERS
Read also: Agricultural emergency law: water stakeholders mobilized against a text that puts "agriculture first, others after" (Article reserved for subscribers)
Source
Politique : Toute l’actualité sur Le Monde.fr.Western
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