Press release: Farmers’ voices in European protests

No. 4 - 19.01.2026

Research team examines farmers’ protest motivations and political responses in four EU countries

Farmers’ protests that swept across Europe in 2024 were driven by a wide range of concerns that differ markedly between countries, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of Göttingen. Based on survey responses from more than 2,200 farmers in Germany, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, the study finds that farmers’ motivations go far beyond commonly cited issues such as environmental regulations. Instead, complaints range from bureaucracy and low incomes to political dissatisfaction and uncertainty about the future of farming. The findings also suggest that policy responses at national and EU level only partly reflect farmers’ actual priorities. The results were published in the journal Food Policy.

To better understand what motivates farmers to protest, the research team analysed open-ended survey answers collected shortly after the protests. Farmers were asked to describe their reasons for discontent in their own words, without predefined response options. The researchers combined manual analysis with AI–based text analysis to identify recurring themes and assess the emotional tone of the responses. “This approach allows us to capture what farmers themselves consider most important, rather than what policymakers or interest groups assume,” explains first author Professor Doris Läpple. The analysis shows clear national differences: farmers in Germany mainly criticised bureaucracy, French farmers focused on financial pressures, Belgian farmers expressed a broad mix of concerns, while Dutch farmers most frequently voiced dissatisfaction with policy.

The study also examined how strongly emotions such as anger or frustration shaped farmers’ statements. Specific complaints, for example about excessive bureaucracy or income problems, were often expressed in a frustrated tone. More general dissatisfaction with politics, by contrast, was sometimes voiced more aggressively. Alongside this analysis of how farmers articulated their concerns, the study also looked at how policymakers responded to the protests. While some key concerns, including administrative burden and financial strain, were addressed by policymakers, environmental issues received disproportionately high attention relative to how often farmers mentioned them. “Our results highlight the risk of oversimplifying farmers’ protests,” says Läpple. “A better alignment between farmers’ real concerns and policy responses could help ease tensions and make agricultural policy more effective in the long run.”

Original publication: Läpple, D., et al. “Farmers’ Voices in European Protests: Diverse Complaints, Emotional Tones, and Policy Responses”. Food Policy (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.102999

Contact:

Professor Doris Läpple

University of Göttingen

Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development

Platz der Göttinger Sieben 5, 37073 Göttingen, Germany

Tel: +49 (0)551 39-24806

Email: doris.laepple@uni-goettingen.de