Romania’s presidential race lead is all about farmers – POLITICO

In a country where farmers make up 23 percent of the workforce and 18 percent of the population, -most The agri-food policies of any EU state – Georgescu are very important. 17 pages manifest It’s titled “Food, Water, Energy: A return to the roots of the Romanian nation” and offers a sugary utopian, feel-good measure for rural areas.

“He has the same ideas as Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,” said Cristian Pîrvulescu, professor of political studies at Bucharest’s main university, referring to the former US presidential candidate who participated in Donald Trump’s successful campaign. rewarded with the nomination of health secretary.

RFK Jr. like.Georgescu espouses a “radical ecologism” that challenges the usual left-right divide, delving into anti-globalization leitmotifs shared by extremists on both sides. He attacks intensive agriculture with its “toxic” agrochemicals and “polluting and inefficient” production, and promises to “support peasant farming and traditional, organic agriculture” instead.

According to its manifesto, “Synthetic pesticides and pesticides will be replaced by ecological alternatives, and long-lasting chemicals will be replaced by active ingredients from nature.” Alum promises that this will “protect forests and clean rivers, save bees (and) guarantee clean, quality food.”

The university professor adds that “protecting the soil is vital” since “land is Romania’s first strategic resource.” All of this costs money, and the state must support its farmers with “capitalization of small producers, support of local markets, (and) a network of popular and cooperative banks” to finance an agro-ecological revolution.

Make farming great again

of the European Union Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)The agricultural subsidy pot should be directed to small farmers (who make up more than 90 percent of Romanian farmers), and the country’s widespread, small-scale production system “should become a model to be followed in the Balkans and Europe,” says Georgescu. .