French government faces two no-confidence motions over EU-Mercosur trade deal

The French government faced two no-confidence motions Wednesday, filed by radical left and far-right parties in opposition to a trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur, despite France's stated opposition to the accord's signing.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is scheduled to sign the treaty Saturday with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The agreement will create the world's largest free-trade zone, encompassing 700 million consumers.

French farmers, backed by the country's entire political class, have voiced strong opposition to the deal. They fear the impact of South American imports of beef, rice, honey, and soybeans, which would be exchanged for European exports of automobiles and machinery.

Far-right deputy Sébastien Chenu explained to radio station Franceinfo that the no-confidence motion serves to "support farmers and denounce the hypocrisy and incompetence of the government on this matter." Parties backing the censure motions contend that the government has not done enough to oppose the agreement.

The trade accord represents a significant point of contention within France, where agricultural interests hold considerable political weight across the ideological spectrum.