French farmers have taken to blockading Paris over a trade deal between South American Mercosur countries and the European Union.
Agricultural workers in the country have warned that the deal threatens to undermine local workers by flooding European markets with foreign produce.
According to a report by Le Parisien, numerous road blocks on November 18 had been set up by farmers the previous night, with one union describing 85 separate demonstrations as being held across the country.
One of the worst affected routes was the N118 to the southwest of the capital, with authorities describing dense traffic even after that demonstration was ended.
More disruptions are expected later on the evening of November 18.
Farmers taking part in the demos have defended their actions, saying their choice was either to protest or lose their livelihoods.
“I don’t earn a living, I have to have two jobs and most of the time I get into debt,” one farmer told the French media.
“We don’t make a living from our work even though we work 365 days a year, we are the forgotten ones of the Republic.
“For many, it’s either mobilization or the rope,” he added.
Numerous French politicians have echoed the sentiment, with there being broad consensus across both the Left and Right that the EU deal should not go through.
Such views appear to be being ignored in Brussels, with it looking likely that Eurocrats will bypass French opposition to the deal via a qualified majority vote at the European Council.
“A few years ago, it would have been unthinkable that such an agreement could be made against the opinion of the historic founding member that is France of the European Union,” one French mayor said regarding the situation.
“The voice of France is not credible, I regret it.”
French President Emmanuel Macron is now attempting to kill the deal via bilateral channels in South America, meeting with Argentina’s Javier Milei on November 17 ahead of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro over November 18-19.
“I told the Argentine president very sincerely and very clearly that France would not sign the Mercosur treaty as it stands,” Macron said after meeting with Milei in Argentina.
He added that Milei had similar sentiments, with the French President claiming that the Argentine was also “not satisfied” with the current deal.
