France is bracing for a major farmers’ uprising as anger explodes over the EU–Mercosur trade deal. With tractors blocking highways and banners accusing Brussels of sacrificing French agriculture, farmers are now threatening to take their protest to Paris and bring the capital to a standstill. The 25-year-old trade agreement, expected to be signed in Paraguay on January 12, could flood European markets with cheaper South American agricultural imports. Farmers fear this will crush local farms, weaken food safety standards and threaten livelihoods across rural France. With “Next Stop Paris” banners going up and blockades being planned, the battle over Europe’s agriculture has officially begun.
The Big Bank Theory
