On January 8, French farmers blockaded a series of roads leading to Paris and many symbolic locations of the capital from before dawn, to protest the trade agreement that the European Union (EU) intends to sign with South American countries, and expressed outrage at some domestic policies.
The protests called for by many farmers' unions stem from concerns that the free trade agreement with the South American Common Market (Mercosur) will flood the EU market with cheap food, putting great pressure on intra-bloc agricultural production.
Protesters also believe that the government's handling of livestock diseases is increasing tensions in the farmer community. Mr. Stephane Pelletier - a senior member of the Coordination Rurale trade union - said that farmers are in a state of "both anger and despair", with a feeling of abandonment, in which the Mercosur agreement is seen as a typical example.
During the protest day, farmers crossed police checkpoints to enter the center of Paris, drove tractors along the Champs-Elysees Avenue and blockaded roads around the Arc de Triomphe. Police deployed forces to surround these areas, but avoided direct confrontation with protesters.
At the gateways of the capital, dozens of tractors blocked the highways leading to Paris before morning rush hour, including the A13 route connecting Paris with the western suburbs and Normandy. The French Minister of Transport said that the blockade caused congestion lasting about 150km.
The protest took place in a politically sensitive context, as EU member states are expected to vote on the Mercosur agreement in the coming days.
Pressure on President Emmanuel Macron and the government is increasing, especially when the current administration does not have a majority in Parliament. Observers believe that any policy mistake could put Mr. Macron at risk of being voted no-confidence.
France has long expressed opposition to the Mercosur agreement. Although Paris won some concessions at the last minute, President Macron's final position has not been clearly announced.
In an effort to reassure still hesitant countries, the European Commission recently proposed early disbursement of 45 billion euros from the next 7-year budget for EU farmers, and agreed to cut import taxes on some types of fertilizers.
Meanwhile, Germany and Spain support the agreement, and the European Commission said it is making progress in persuading Italy. If Rome agrees, the EU will have enough votes to pass the agreement, regardless of France's position. The vote is scheduled to take place on January 9.
In addition to protesting against Mercosur, French farmers also demanded the end of the policy of destroying cows to cope with boil-like dermatitis, arguing that this measure is excessive and calling for a switch to vaccination.
Police affirmed that functional forces advocate avoiding confrontation, emphasizing that farmers are not opponents of security forces.
