French farmers stage new Paris protest in effort to halt Mercosur deal
Yahoo Finance UK • • world
Key Points:
- French farmers protested in Paris by driving tractors into the city center to oppose the EU-Mercosur trade deal, which they argue threatens local agriculture through unfair competition from cheaper South American imports.
- The protest, organized by the FNSEA union, involved around 350 tractors and included dumping several metric tons of potatoes outside the French parliament to emphasize their grievances.
- Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced potential measures addressing water issues, wolf attacks, and economic support for farmers, but these would only take effect if the 2026 budget is approved, leaving farmers unconvinced.
- The Mercosur deal was approved by most EU states despite France's rejection, intensifying farmer protests and political pressure, with further demonstrations planned at the European Parliament
