In France, when it comes to defending the environment and public health, civil society knows how to be heard. It proves it once again the Record mobilization against the so -called Duplicomb lawwhich authorizes the Reintroduction of acetamiprid, a dangerous pesticidea real“API killer”.
In 10 days, the online petition exceeded the million signatures, By breaking any previous record and launching a clear message to the government: citizens do not accept steps back on the protection of biodiversity. Never before a petition published on the National Assembly website had collected so many signatures.
A law that makes you discuss
The Duplicomb law, approved on July 8 but not yet in force, It allows the use of acetamiprid in derogation for three years in some crops, such as beets and hazelnuts. The motivation? Avoid “unfair competition” with other European countries where the pesticide is still legal until 2033.
However, the decision triggered a wave of criticism from scientists, environmentalists, beekeepers and ordinary citizens. Acetamiprid, prohibited in France since 2018, belongs to the neonicotinoid family, known for their high toxicity towards pollinating insects such as bees. In addition to environmental damage, numerous scientific studies have highlighted potential dangers for human health, connecting exposure to neurological effects and possible oncological risks.
A petition born from the bottom that is making the story
The petition was launched by a 23 -year -old student, Eleonore Pacy, who called it “a battle for public health and common sense”. In a few days, the text exceeded one million subscriptions, becoming The most signed petition in the country’s recent history.
Among the signatories, also actors, researchers, opposition politicians and numerous beekeepers, who describe acetamiprid as “an killer of bees”. The petition asks for the immediate repeal of the law and the start of a public consultation that involves experts in the health, environmental, agricultural and legal fields.
French mobilization reminds us how powerful collective participation is. It is not just about environmentalism, but a matter of democracy and transparency. In a historical moment in which crucial political decisions are often taken without an adequate involvement of citizens, The response of the French people is an example to follow.
Even before the approval of the law, thousands of people had taken to the streets, combining farmers, scientists and activists in a transversal protest. The petition now represents the culmination of this mobilization.
And now?
In France, A petition that exceeds 500,000 signatures from at least 30 departments or overseas communities can be subjected to the conference of the presidents of the National Assembly, which has the right to decide whether to examine it during a public debate accompanied by a parliamentary relationship or simply archive it, without further actions. This procedure, provided for by the regulation of the French Parliament, therefore does not oblige Parliament to suspend or repeal the contested law, and so far no petition has ever led to a legislative modification. But who knows … this could be the first time.
In the case of the petition against the Duplicomb law, the overcoming of one million signatures represents an absolute record and a strong signal of public opinion. Although the parliamentary procedure does not guarantee any binding consequence, the popular pressure exerted by this mobilization could push the government to reconsider its position.
A lesson for all of Europe (including Italy)
While other European countries, including Italy, still struggle to ban harmful pesticides, France – even with this step back – shows that there is a strong, vigilant and organized public opinion.
Instead of lowering the standards to adapt to the worst, we should all aim to raise them, supporting a more sustainable agriculture.
The French story clearly shows how, in a democracy, the pressure from the bottom can make the difference. Even if the petition does not guarantee in itself the repeal of the law, its media and symbolic impact is enormous. And he could push the government back to back, or at least to reconsider a measure judged by many a gift to the lobby of the pesticides.
A million signatures in a few days is not only an impressive fact, it is the signal that an increasingly broad part of the European population is no longer willing to tolerate political choices that put biodiversity and collective health at risk. When will we have the courage to make us feel in Italy too?
