French farmers block Paris streets in protest against Mercosur trade deal

French farmers launched a pre-dawn blockade of roads into Paris and several of the city’s landmarks in protest against a sweeping trade deal the European Union hopes soon to sign with South American nations as well as other local grievances.

Farmers from several trade unions 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, and in anger at the government’s handling of a cattle disease.

“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.

The farmers overran police checkpoints to enter the city, driving along the Champs Elysees avenue and blocking the road around the Arc de Triomphe monument before down on Thursday, while police surrounded them.

Dozens of tractors obstructed highways leading into the capital ahead of the morning rush hour, including the A13 leading into Paris from the western suburbs and Normandy causing 150km of traffic jams, the transport minister said.

The protest piles yet more pressure on President Emmanuel Macron and his government, a day before EU member states are expected to vote on the trade accord. Without a majority in parliament, any policy misstep by Macron risks a perilous vote of no confidence in the chamber.

France has long been a stiff opponent of the trade deal and even after extracting last-minute concessions Macron’s final position is not known.

This week the European Commission proposed making 45 billion euros of EU funding available earlier to farmers in the bloc’s next seven-year budget and agreed to cut import duties on some fertilizers in a bid to win over countries wavering in their support of Mercosur.

The deal is backed by countries such as Germany and Spain and the Commission appeared closer to winning Italy’s backing. Rome’s support for the deal would mean the EU had the votes needed to approve the trade accord with or without French support.

A vote on the accord is expected on Friday.

Farmers are also demanding an end to a government policy of culling cows in response to the highly contagious lumpy skin disease, which they consider excessive and instead advocate for vaccination.

Police were avoiding clashes with the protesters, Tabarot said. “Farmers are not our enemies,” he said.