French Environment Minister Monique Barbut resigns then withdraws resignation over pesticide bill
French Minister of Ecological Transition Monique Barbut announced her resignation on July 22, 2026, in protest of a bill reintroducing the pesticides acetamiprid and flupyradifurone, which have been banned in France since 2018 and 2019. President Emmanuel Macron did not accept her resignation, and Barbut agreed to remain in her post citing the urgency of addressing climate change. The bill passed by French lawmakers would allow the two pesticides back into use, which scientists say are harmful to human health and bee populations.
- Le Mondefirst
- Deutsche Welle+12 min
No left-right split here
Coverage clusters in the center and international press. Here is each take as it stands.
“France: Environment minister quits over pesticide bill”
“French environment minister backtracks on resignation over 'urgency' to act on climate”