
What’s happening: Massive farming protests are spreading across the European Union, from the borders of Poland to the streets of Paris.
Why it matters: These protests indicate more segments of society are finally tiring of being overlooked by elites. It’s not just radical climate policies: E.U. establishments have put policies deemed “morally correct” — Ukraine aid, free trade deals, and yes, climate extremism — ahead of the economic well-being of farmers and at-risk industries.
Not just picketing: Farmers are blocking borders and city streets with massive equipment, and parking without leaving for days or until their demands are met.
What they want: Farmers in each country are rising up for different, though related, reasons:
Germany: Farmers have been protesting government plans to remove subsidies, which farmers argue would decimate local agriculture.
Poland: Farmers and truckers have been blocking the border with Ukraine on and off over unlimited grain exports, which are causing Polish grain prices to plummet.