French Ecological Transition Minister Monique Barbut has announced her resignation in protest against the passage of a bill allowing the reintroduction of pesticides harmful to the bee ecosystem.

The conservative-leaning French Senate voted 214 to 111 on the 21st local time to pass a bill permitting the reintroduction of two types of pesticides: acetamiprid and flupyradifurone.

The bill cleared the Senate less than a day after passing through the National Assembly.

Minister Barbut told her aides, "I have no other choice but to submit my resignation," adding, "I will tender my resignation to President Emmanuel Macron on the morning of the 22nd."

Acetamiprid and flupyradifurone were banned in France in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

Acetamiprid is known to poison bees, adversely affecting their foraging activities and memory, while flupyradifurone is known to be fatal to certain bees.

France's agricultural sector, centered around sugar beet, apple, and hazelnut farmers, has urged the reintroduction of the pesticides, arguing that they have no alternative if they are to compete with other farmers in Europe.

The European Union (EU) permits the use of both acetamiprid and flupyradifurone.

However, left-wing factions and environmental groups opposed to the bill have pushed back, arguing that the pesticides threaten the health of both bees and humans.

The environmental group Greenpeace criticized that "the French government and its coalition have trampled on science, health, the environment, and the will of the people."

Henri Clément, president of the French Beekeepers Association, also criticized the pesticide reintroduction bill in an interview with local media, calling it "an absolute disaster."

Previously, the Constitutional Council, which serves as France's constitutional court, ruled unconstitutional last year a conditional reuse bill for acetamiprid proposed by conservative Senator Laurent Duplomb.

Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard stated that the bill is necessary to address farmers' grievances, adding, "Health authorities will approve the use of the pesticides under the condition that they do not impact human health and the environment in specific areas for a limited period."