Protesting French farmers block Paris streets

Farmers protest against Mercosur deal, fearing cheap imports They also protested against local regulations, cattle culls Protests add pressure on President Macron EU vote on Mercosur deal expected Friday

- REUTERS

French farmers blockaded roads into Paris and landmarks like the Arc de Triomphe with tractors Thursday in protest against a sweeping trade deal the European Union is due to sign with South American nations.

Farmers from the right-wing Coordination Rurale union called for the protests in Paris amid fears the planned free trade agreement with the Mercosur bloc will flood the EU with cheap food imports.

They also protested against high costs and excessive local regulation and demanded an end to a government policy of culling herds of cows in response to a highly contagious cattle disease, which they consider excessive.

“We are between resentment and despair. We have a feeling of abandonment, with Mercosur being an example,” Stephane Pelletier, a senior member of the Coordination Rurale union, told Reuters beneath the Eiffel Tower.