It seems that hardly a week goes by without tractors rolling into Brussels to protest, whether angered by policy decisions at the national or EU level. This year, the Place Luxembourg has been a meeting point for farmers from far across the bloc and of diverse political persuasions.
United by their frustration with "technocrats" dictating deadlines for sowing and harvesting, imposing red tape, and adding an administrative burden to the already substantial task of tilling the land, the protests have been spectacular despite the demands varying greatly.
Today another movement has seen farm machinery close in on Brussels, though the European Quarter has been largely spared the "invasion" of previous months as the majority of tractors have instead gathered at Heysel beneath the Atomium.
Further diminishing the protest is the faction of farmers it represents. Orchestrated by far-right associations such as the Dutch Farmers Defence Force and promoted by Viktor Orbàn's policy think tank MCC Brussels, the rally has been largely shunned by Belgian farmers who question the timing (just two days before the European elections start).
"It's too late to convince the current government to change its policy and too early to explain our arguments to the next one," reasoned the Walloon Federation of Agriculture.
With the protestors focussing their ire on the EU's Green Deal – which they would like scrapped completely rather than just tweaked around the edges – the European Green party has branded the event as "far-right activists disguised as farmers". For its part, the largest association of farmers in Flanders – the Boerenbond – has said it has "opted for a strategy of dialogue". Boerenbond has mustered a strong turnout in previous protests.
Confirming that today's protestors stand apart from the broader farming community, Belgian associations stated that their members are busy in the fields, making up for time lost as incessant rain played havoc with planting schedules. And whilst organisers for today had hoped for up to 20,000 participants, the real number has been just a fraction of this.
How long until tractors next roll into Brussels? Let @Orlando_tbt know.
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