French media reports: A million French citizens have petitioned to ban the “bee killer” pesticide, with several left-wing party groups formally requesting debates.

France’s Radio International reported on the 21st that a petition demanding the repeal of the “Dupuy Law” (named after its proponent) has sparked a public outcry in France. The petition, posted by a 23-year-old university student named Patrice on the official website of the National Assembly, has collected over 1.2 million signatures in just a few days, becoming the first citizen’s petition in the country to surpass the threshold of 500,000 signatures set by the parliament’s website.
The massive petition originated from the controversial agricultural bill passed by the National Assembly on July 8 but not yet in effect—the “Dupuy Law.” The core content of this bill includes the reactivation of the neonicotinoid insecticide, dinotefuran, which had been banned in France since 2020 and is highly toxic to bees.
According to reports by Le Monde, the use of dinotefuran has faced strong opposition from leftist and environmental groups. The use of dinotefuran not only disrupts ecological stability but also poses an “unknown risk” to human health. More importantly, this policy neglects the interests of beekeepers and organic farmers. Some citizens believe that the government should promote the development of alternative solutions rather than relying on banned pesticides, making short-term decisions that sacrifice environmental protection. French former Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin also voiced his support on social media, calling for the government to “listen to the reasonable demands of millions.” However, some supporters argue that French farmers face too much regulation, and resuming the use of dinotefuran could help them compete with other European countries that do not ban this insecticide.
According to relevant regulations, if the number of signatures exceeds 500,000, the National Assembly may choose to hold a public debate on the matter. Currently, several leftist party groups have announced their intention to formally submit a debate request, and the President of the National Assembly, Jean-Michel Blanquer, has also publicly expressed his support for the debate. (Global Times, July 22 article by Yu Chaoyang)