French farmers continued widespread protests on Saturday, December 20, 2025, maintaining road blockades and disruptions across southwestern France and other regions, despite government appeals for a Christmas truce and concessions including financial support and a delay in the controversial EU-Mercosur trade agreement.
The actions, involving tractors, hay bales, and barricades, stem primarily from opposition to the government's mandatory culling of entire cattle herds upon detection of lumpy skin disease (LSD), a highly contagious viral infection affecting cattle. Farmers, particularly from militant unions like Rural Coordination and Confédération Paysanne, argue that systematic culling of healthy animals is excessive, destroys livelihoods, and should be replaced with selective measures alongside vaccination. The protests have expanded to encompass broader grievances, including fears that the EU-Mercosur free trade deal would flood European markets with cheaper South American beef produced under lower environmental and sanitary standards.
Broadcaster BFMTV and other outlets reported ongoing blockades in departments such as Saône-et-Loire, where demonstrators closed sections of the national Route 79 (RCEA) in both directions. Similar disruptions persisted in southwestern areas like Haute-Garonne and Hautes-Pyrénées, building on actions that peaked earlier in the week with around 80 total or partial blockades recorded on Friday.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu met with agricultural union representatives on Friday, announcing an €11 million support fund for affected farmers and proposing further talks in early January. The government also highlighted the postponement of the Mercosur deal's signing, originally anticipated during a Mercosur summit in Brazil. President Emmanuel Macron reiterated France's stance via social media platform X, stating: "France has secured the postponement of the signing of the agreement with Mercosur because, at this stage, the terms are not satisfactory. We are putting forward common-sense demands, legitimately raised by our farmers: a robust safeguard clause, reciprocity through mirror clauses, and effective controls on imported products."
The EU Commission confirmed the delay to January 2026, following pressure from France, Italy, and other member states during a Brussels summit. Macron framed the postponement as an opportunity to negotiate stronger protections, potentially creating a "new" agreement with enhanced reciprocity.
Lumpy skin disease, transmitted primarily by insects, causes fever, skin nodules, reduced milk production, and potential death in cattle but poses no risk to humans. Outbreaks in France began in June 2025, with 113 cases confirmed by mid-December, leading to the culling of approximately 3,300 animals—0.02% of the national herd. Authorities defend the policy as essential to prevent wider spread, which could result in export bans and devastate the sector. A massive vaccination campaign targeting over one million cattle is underway, but it does not apply retroactively to infected herds.
The main FNSEA union supports the government's approach, but smaller groups have mobilized aggressively, clashing with police in some instances and disrupting vaccination efforts. Protests have included dumping manure near public buildings and symbolic acts like placing coffins labeled "RIP Agri" and "NO Mercosur."
On Thursday, December 18, thousands of farmers from across Europe, including French convoys, descended on Brussels with tractors, burning tires and protesting the Mercosur deal alongside EU agricultural policy reforms.
As the holiday season approaches, the government has urged a truce to allow uninterrupted travel and family gatherings, warning against further escalations. However, union leaders have indicated decisions on pausing actions depend on concrete commitments, with some vowing to continue if demands remain unmet.
The unrest highlights deep-seated frustrations in France's powerful agricultural sector, Europe's largest, amid economic pressures, regulatory burdens, and global trade dynamics. Successful containment of LSD and resolution of trade concerns could ease tensions, but ongoing mobilization risks prolonging disruptions into the new year.
