A new food-related law passed by the French parliament this week after the first reading has left at least some Eurosceptics in the country fuming.
According to the Daily Express, the so called Egalim 2 law, which is apparently “in line with EU Directives”, would result in “the Origine France label scrapped from a lot of products on French supermarkets' shelves”, as the legislation is aimed at dispensing with the obligation to “systematically mention the origin of the meat and dairy products used in prepared dishes”.
In response, Florian Philippot, former vice president of the right-wing National Front party and founder of the French Eurosceptic party The Patriots (Les Patriotes), slammed this development on Twitter.
Loi Egalim 2 : fin du label « Origine France » sur les produits transformés !
— Florian Philippot (@f_philippot) June 24, 2021
Pourquoi ? Application du droit européen qui interdit un tel label ! Le Conseil d’Etat l’a rappelé il y a quelques mois.
Un scandale, une monstruosité. #Frexit vite ! https://t.co/WZyiQvCwSm
"Egalim Law 2: end of the 'Origin France' label on processed products! Why? Application of European law which prohibits such a label! The Council of State recalled this a few months ago. A scandal, a monstrosity,” he wrote. “Frexit quickly!”
A number of social media users who replied to Philippot's tweet also did not seem particulary pleased with this situation.
“Marking of territory (driving license, national identity card, European flags everywhere, Ursula which validates the recovery plan ...),” said one. “In a few years, it will be forbidden to name one's country.”
Marquage de territoire (permis de conduire, carte nationale d'identité, drapeaux européen partout, Ursula qui valide le plan de relance...)
— Koussaila HAMICHE 🏅 (@Koussaila_ING) June 24, 2021
D'ici quelques années, il sera interdit de citer son pays
“The European Union is a damn laboratory for a gestation of dictatorship,” added another.
L union européenne est un foutu laboratoire d une gestation de dictature
— Paoli Jean (@PaoliJean3) June 24, 2021
“We must get out of this fictitious and soulless European union, created to stymie its flight,” declared the third.
Il faut sortir de cette union européenne factice et sans âme, créée pour engluer son envol.
— Cogito (@Cogitopix) June 24, 2021
As the newspaper points out, Philippot has long campaigned for France to withdraw from the European Union.