The fishermen’s protest

The spark that triggered the ‘Yellow Vests’ protests in the autumn of 2018 was the rise in fuel prices. It is for the same reason that French fishermen have been blocking some of the country’s main southern ports for several days. Yesterday morning, dozens of fishermen gathered outside the Frontignan refinery, blocking the passage of tankers: tyres and pallets were set alight, forcing the authorities to intervene to clear the area. Further protests to raise public awareness of the rising cost of fuel linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East took place in Sète, Port-la-Nouvelle and Nice, where yesterday around ten boats blocked the harbour entrance for several hours, forcing a Corsica Ferries ferry to change course towards Savona. At the port of Le Grau-du-Roi, the fishermen also targeted European regulations, displaying banners reading: ‘Europe is killing us’, ‘Europe is sinking our ports’. With the latest price rises, a litre of diesel in France costs €2.36, whilst a litre of SP98 costs €2.24 and a litre of SP95 costs €2.22. To stem the tide of public anger, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu on Wednesday called for targeted fuel subsidies to be extended until 31 December: for fishermen, the subsidy will be increased from 25 to 35 cents per litre. But this may not be enough.

The blockades represent the latest episode in a wave of protests sweeping across France. Last Tuesday, workers across various sectors, from the energy industry to the police, went on strike over issues ranging from wages to the cost of fuel. The government, which is busy finalising a complex 2027 budget bill aimed at curbing the deficit, fears seeing a return to mass mobilisation similar to the ‘Yellow Vests’ protests of 2018.