Briefly

FRANCE

Farmers meet PM, threaten protests

France's powerful farming unions on Monday met with Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, after threatening the government with a week or more of protest action if their demands were not met. The unions have demanded concrete government action to address their grievances, which they say include excessive financial charges and environmental protection rules, as well as insufficient prices for their produce. The growing anger of farmers, some of whom have already taken direct action to express their frustration, is shaping up to be the first major challenge of President Emmanuel Macron's newly appointed government.