French farmers rode tractors into Paris for the second time in a week on Tuesday to protest the EU-Mercosur trade deal, which they say threatens local agriculture by creating unfair competition from cheaper South American imports.
Farmers in France, the largest agricultural producer of the European Union, as well as in other member states, have been protesting for months against the EU-Mercosur agreement and numerous local problems, writes Reuters.
Tuesday’s demonstration was organized by FNSEA, one of the largest agricultural unions in France. A special farmers’ union, Coordination Rurale, already brought tractors under the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe last Thursday.
Des centaines de tracteurs manifestent sur les Champs-Elysées en direction de l’Assemblée Nationale à Paris pour protester contre le Mercosur.#AgriculteursEnColère #agriculteurs pic.twitter.com/xZCVenKudo
— Luc Auffret (@LucAuffret) January 13, 2026
Paris police estimated that there were around 350 tractors at Tuesday’s demonstration. One convoy of tractors regrouped at the Arc de Triomphe, while another reached the French Parliament building.
– The Mercosur Agreement was approved even though the European Parliament did not have the opportunity to express its opinion. This will lead to the import of foreign products that we can produce perfectly well in France, which do not respect the standards imposed on French agriculture – said Damien Greffin, vice president of FNSEA and a farmer from the Paris region.
Greffin added that in addition to the protest in front of the French Parliament, they plan to demonstrate in front of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on January 20.
Des dizaines de tracteurs font, par surprise, leurs entrées dans Paris ce mardi matin pour protester contre la signature du Mercosur. #AgriculteursEnColère #Mercosur pic.twitter.com/2TjGx2lpSm
— Bleu Blanc Rouge (@LBleuBlancRouge) January 13, 2026
The approval of the Mercosur agreement by most EU states on Friday, despite France’s rejection, further increased pressure on the government from farmers and opposition parties, some of which have tabled no-confidence motions.
– Agriculture is going through a crisis like we have never seen and we have to fight to be heard – said Guillaume Lefort, a farmer from Seine-et-Marne in the Paris region, holding the FNSEA flag in front of the National Assembly building.
(Vijesti.ba/Fena)
