Rarely has the French political class been so unanimous. Rarely have farmers seemed so doubtful of the promises that were made to them. At a time when farmers' anger is once again ringing out across the country, both the governing coalition and the opposition are denouncing the treaty with the South American Common Market (Mercosur), hated by French farmers, with a virtually unanimous voice. The free-trade agreement that the European Union (EU) wants to sign by the end of the year with the Mercosur countries (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia) is being criticized by the left and the right alike.
"France will not sign this treaty as it stands," promised Emmanuel Macron on Sunday, November 17, from Argentina, where he had just held talks with Argentina's far-right libertarian president, Javier Milei. The French president, who was due to land a few hours later in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for a G20 summit on Monday and Tuesday before flying on to Chile, promised to throw all his weight behind preventing this agreement, which he deemed "very bad" for agriculture. His words echoed those of Prime Minister Michel Barnier, who, the day before, had taken a strong tone on the radio France Bleu to say "no to this treaty."
"We refuse to open European markets to chicken doped with antibiotics, beef raised against a backdrop of deforestation, corn treated with atrazine...," decried more than 200 MPs from across the political spectrum as early as November 4 in Le Figaro, calling on the government to show "courage" to block this "absurd" treaty. On November 12, in Le Monde, no fewer than 600 French MPs called on Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to respect "the democratic expression of the near-unanimous French parliamentarians."
This convergence of struggles between politicians and agricultural representatives has not stopped farmers and growers from demonstrating their despair. By Sunday evening, tractors were disrupting traffic in the Paris region. "Macron, if you're going to Rio, don't forget your hicks!" was the message on one tractor hood. Demonstrations were due to continue across the country on Monday, with "anger fires" expected to burn around the country. Farmers were expected to park their tractors in streets, squares and main thoroughfares bearing the name "Europe." The aim is to "challenge public opinion" against a "porous Europe," explained Arnaud Rousseau, head of the National Federation of Agricultural Holders' Unions (FNSEA) in La Tribune Dimanche on November 17.
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