Abstract

In recent years, a longstanding cleavage has re-emerged with renewed intensity, marked by persistent tensions between economic and environmental stances. This paper investigates the farmers’ protests in Italy from January to February 2024, focusing on the surrounding controversy. We employ a framework that integrates agenda-building theory with the cartography of controversies approach. First, we trace the development of the controversy, highlighting how the EU’s agricultural policy became a central issue and a target of repeated farmers’ protests across various countries, particularly as the EU intensified its environmental initiatives. Next, we analyse the communication dynamics during the 2024 protests, drawing on content from two newspapers – la Repubblica and Il Giornale – as well as tweets from Twitter (X). Through a detailed content analysis, we examine the unfolding of the controversy in terms of actors, relationships, issues, and frames. The findings are illustrated through tables and graphical representations, revealing a decline in the visibility of scientists and environmentalists within newspapers and social media platforms. The analysis shows a higher density and variety of interactions on X, along with a more pronounced public response and heightened conflict. Discursive interactions increasingly focused on criticism of the EU and a pro-economy stance, reflecting a shift towards prioritizing shortterm economic concerns over environmental ones.