A petition against the Duplomb Law, which allows for the conditional reintroduction of a pesticide banned in France since 2018, surpassed two million signatures on the French National Assembly's website by Monday morning.
On 10 July, Eleonore Pattery, a 23-year-old student, had confidently asserted, “Today I am writing alone, but not thinking alone,” in her petition’s closing remarks. Eighteen days later, her sentiments remain validated as the petition’s signatories continued to grow, albeit at a slower pace.
The petition had achieved 500,000 signatures by last weekend, a first for the Assembly’s portal, paving the way for a potential new debate in the legislative chamber.
However, its impact will be limited. While political groups can express their views, the petition alone cannot reverse the already enacted provisions.
Pressure is mounting on the French government, urged by the left, NGOs, and a significant segment of the public, to repeal the law.
A Cluster17 poll for the political group Génération Ecologie, reported in La Tribune Dimanche, shows that 61% of respondents are against the law, with 46% being “strongly opposed.” Additionally, 64% want Emmanuel Macron to refrain from signing the law and to re-submit it for parliamentary review.
The petition has gained widespread support from NGOs, political parties, and public figures like Pierre Niney, Julien Doré, and EnjoyPhoenix.
It calls for the “immediate” repeal of the law, a “democratic review of the conditions in which it was adopted” - citing a lack of genuine parliamentary debate - and a “citizen consultation with health, agriculture, ecology, and legal experts” on related issues.
