France unveils €600m plan to placate farmers’ revolt

http://www.france24.com/en/20150722-france-unveils-600m-plan-placate-farmers-revolt-agriculture

The French government has unveiled a package worth more than 600 million euros for farmers, after days of protests that have blocked cities, roads and the popular Mont Saint-Michel tourist site.

France unveils €600m plan to placate farmers’ revolt
Latest update : 2015-07-22

Agriculture accounts for just two percent of French gross domestic product, but farming provides nearly one million jobs directly or indirectly and politicians pay close heed to the industry's mood.

Now many in this traditionally vocal sector say they are on the brink of bankruptcy due to falling prices and increased competition.

“We hear the anguish of the farmers,” said Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Wednesday as he unveiled measures designed to help a struggling industry and end days of angry protests.

"We have seen a fear of the future but also the desire to do a job that is more than a job: being a farmer means making a lot of sacrifices ... and contributing to the unique job of feeding the French people," Valls told reporters.

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Coughing up €600m should quash the Paris 2024 Olympics plan.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Summer_Olympics

Applicant cities

Paris France Comité National Olympique et Sportif Français Chosen by CNOSF

By 2024, it will have been 100 years since France last staged the Summer Olympics in Paris in 1924. The French capital was unsuccessful in vying to be the host city for the 1992, 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games, losing out to Barcelona, Beijing, and London respectively. Paris could potentially be the second city to host the games three times, after London. France did not bid for either the 2016 or 2020 Olympics. The former French Minister of Sports, Jean-Francois Lamour, had made it clear that 2024 represents a choice objective for a Parisian bid. €35 million will be planned to build new sports venues around Paris in order to improve the quality of the future Parisian bid.[12][13][14] On October 15, 2014, Prime Minister Manuel Valls declared that the city would instead bid for the World's Fair of 2025, prompting concerns that Paris would no longer submit an application for the Olympics. However, no city official has stated that Paris is out of the bidding process thus far.[15]

On November 8, 2014, the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, suggested that the city might not be able to afford to put itself forward as host, saying: "We are in a financial and budgetary position today that does not allow me to say that I am making this bid." In addition she talked about a potential bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics.[16] However, in March 2015, Hidalgo gave her blessing to a bid for 2024. The decision to make a bid will be taken with a vote at the council of Paris in April 2015.[17] On April 13, 2015, the council of Paris officially voted and approved the candidacy making Paris an official applicant.[18]

On 26 June 2015 the French Sailing Federation announced it has preselected venues interested in hosting the Sailing competitions.[19] Havre (Seine-Maritime), La Rochelle (Charente-Maritime), Brest (Finistère), Hyères (Var), Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône) and Quiberon (Morbihan)[20] are in considerations. A decision is expected before September 2015.[19]