A petition started by a French student earlier this month has ignited nationwide debate over a controversial pesticide law, drawing over two million signatories into a growing environmental and political dispute.
Public opposition is surging in France, as a petition against the controversial Duplomb law – which allows the conditional return of a pesticide banned since 2018 – soared past two million signatures on the National Assembly website by Monday morning.
Launched by 23-year-old student Éléonore Pattery on 10 July, the appeal has struck a chord nationwide.
The petition reached a record-breaking 500,000 signatures by last weekend – the first to do so on the public platform, which automatically triggered a parliamentary debate.
However, the debate will be largely symbolic. While political groups will have the opportunity to express their stance, the petition alone isn’t sufficient to overturn an already adopted law.
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Pressure on government
Still, pressure is mounting. Left-wing parties, environmental groups, and now a significant share of the public are urging the government to reconsider.
A recent poll conducted for the Génération Écologie party revealed that 61 percent oppose the law, with nearly half ‘strongly’ against it. An even larger share – 64 percent – want President Emmanuel Macron to hold off on enacting the law and reopen discussions in Parliament.
The EELV French Green party called the petition “historic” on X, demanding the public not be ignored and urging MPs to revisit the issue.
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The petition has been widely circulated by environmental NGOs, political groups, and public figures calling for the immediate repeal of the law, a democratic review of how it was passed –citing the lack of debate – and a citizen consultation involving health, agriculture, ecology, and legal experts.
“The success of this petition proves that collective intelligence exists – and it will win, eventually,” commented Pattery on LinkedIn. She has declined interviews, preferring to let the petition speak for itself.
'Frustration' with environmental policies
Meanwhile, government officials are beginning to acknowledge the growing unrest.
“This is no longer a niche issue – it’s a social concern,” said Clément Beaune, France’s junior minister for ecological transition, speaking to FranceInfo television.
He added that discontent isn’t just about this law, but reflects deeper frustrations with France’s recent environmental policies.
At the heart of the debate is the pesticide acetamiprid, reintroduced under the so-called Duplomb-Menonville law.
Though banned in France since 2018, it remains authorised in the EU. Farmers – especially beet and hazelnut producers – argue that without it, they face crop losses and unfair competition from European rivals.
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But beekeepers warn of a “bee killer,” and concerns linger about its impact on human health, though large-scale studies are lacking.
With France's Constitutional Council set to rule on 7 August, President Macron has remained silent, saying he’ll wait for the verdict before deciding whether to enact the law or return it for a second reading.
He has called for a “balance between science and fair competition,” according to government spokesperson Sophie Primas.
Meanwhile, the government remains split. Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard insists the law will be enacted, warning that another debate would be “extremely dangerous.”
Others, like Renaissance party leader Gabriel Attal and Environment Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher, are open to involving France’s national health agency, Anses.
Les Républicains Senator Laurent Duplomb has accused the left and green parties of politicising the petition.
