Farmers raise their voices: national mobilizations against the EU-Mercosur agreement and for food sovereignty

Starting this Sunday, French farmers are launching a series of mobilizations to express their opposition to the free-trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur. The agreement, which has been under discussion for several decades, is accused of jeopardizing France’s food sovereignty and promoting unfair competition.

A context of crisis for the agricultural world

Almost a year after an unprecedented mobilization, the tractors are back on the roads. Farmers, already weakened by disappointing harvests and the rise in animal diseases, are also denouncing the delay in implementing the 70 commitments promised by the previous government to address their concerns.

Actions planned for this Sunday in the Paris region

In the Paris region, the first tractor convoys will converge on the RN118 at 4pm this Sunday. Around a hundred vehicles will set off from several points in the Yvelines and Essonne departments to gather at Vélizy-Villacoublay. Although union leaders assure us that there will be no blockades, traffic is likely to be slowed, particularly on major routes such as the A10, N118 and RN12.

National mobilizations on Monday and Tuesday

Across the country, the FNSEA and Jeunes Agriculteurs unions are planning symbolic rallies in front of prefectures and at strategic locations such as traffic circles named “Europe”. In Alsace, for example, farmers will demonstrate with their German counterparts in Strasbourg, while in the Gers, a column of tractors will pass through Auch to reach the prefecture.

In other regions, roadblocks will be set up, notably in Isère, Brittany and the South-West. Disruptions will vary from department to department, but organizers promise to limit prolonged blockades.

More radical action on Wednesday

Coordination Rurale, the country’s second-largest farmers’ union, is planning to intensify its actions from Wednesday November 20. It is threatening to block food freight, targeting the logistics centers of supermarkets in the South-West as a priority. The aim? To make consumers aware of the importance of French products on their plates.

Highly vigilant mobilization

Faced with these movements, the government has reaffirmed a policy of “zero tolerance” for lasting blockades, as indicated by the Minister of the Interior. The unions, for their part, assure us that the movement will not extend beyond mid-December, so as not to disrupt the festive season.

Between economic claims and political demands, this agricultural mobilization promises to be a decisive test for the executive and a show of strength for farmers.