Name: French government faces new no-confidence motions
Uploaded: 2026-01-12T18:25:30.445Z
Duration: 1 min 36 s
Description: The French government is facing two new no-confidence motions, after the EU gave the go-ahead on January 9 to the huge Mercosur trade pact with South America -- to the dismay of French farmers, who have been protesting for months.

The French government is facing two new no-confidence motions, after the EU gave the go-ahead on January 9 to the huge Mercosur trade pact with South America -- to the dismay of French farmers, who have been protesting for months.

Paris

French farmers protested by blocking oil depots and inspecting imported food after the European Union approved the Mercosur trade pact with South America, which France had opposed. The deal has raised concerns among domestic producers about increased competition from cheaper imports.

Despite the French government's efforts to secure concessions from Brussels, both the far-right National Rally and hard-left France Unbowed filed no-confidence motions. Analysts believe these motions are unlikely to succeed, and the government is preparing for possible legislative elections while seeking compromise on the national budget.

French government faces new no-confidence motions

Protesting French farmers were back on streets Monday, blocking oil depots and conducting symbolic checks on imported food outside ports. This after the EU gave the green light to the Mercosur trade pact with South America, despite France's opposition. Opponents say the agreement will jack up imports of cheap food, undercutting domestic farmers. But on Friday, the French agriculture minister said all was not lost as she announced new agricultural measures. This is not the end of the story. There is a major player that will come into play and that is the European Parliament. France secured significant concessions from Brussels to protect farmers from the full impact of the deal. But it wasn't enough for the far-right National Rally and hard-left France Unbowed, both of which filed no-confidence motions in the government. Prime Minister Sébastien Le Corneuil was quick to denounce them as cynical partisan posturing. To table a motion of censure in this context is to choose to weaken France's voice rather than show national unity in defending our agriculture. France deserves better. Analysts say the motions have little chance of success. And on Sunday, the leader of the Socialists said they would not vote with them. Still the Prime Minister's office announced it had asked the Interior Ministry to prepare for possible legislative elections in March in the event of his cabinet's collapse. The fragile government still faces the uphill struggle of passing a working budget and is holding a meeting at the Finance Ministry with parties except the far-left and right to try and find compromise.

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