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Macron’s bombshell text threatens to wreck von der Leyen’s trade deal

January 31, 2024 GOVERNMENT 4

ER Editor: We believe this is truly theatre. Macron isn’t the original one, so we have no idea who is pulling the current one’s strings. We have no confidence that the real Ursula von der Leyen is free to do anything at this point. Proof of nothing, but so much ‘out there’ seems theatrical to obtain certain outcomes with public approval.

With the French farmers’ action, we have a desperate government allegedly petitioning the EU top dog to stop a free trade deal, pitching the nation state against a linchpin of the globalist-corporate agenda. It’s too perfect. The case for Frexit is thus made.

In what universe was this ever probable?

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Macron’s bombshell text threatens to wreck von der Leyen’s trade deal

Farmers’ revolt fuels Mercosur angst in Paris, just as von der Leyen needs French backing for her second term.

GIORGIO LEALI, CLEA CAULCUTT, ANTONIA ZIMMERMANN and CAMILLE GIJS for POLITICO.EU

There are ways of asking for a favor that are hard to refuse.

With one private text message to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron attempted to blow up a trade deal with the Mercosur group of Latin American countries that has been two decades in the making.

The proposed accord, which would create a free trade area spanning nearly 800 million people, has become just too hot for the French president to handle as he battles to contain an uprising by farmers already furious over falling incomes.

Macron, the EU leader who most strongly opposes the Mercosur pact, wants to shield French agriculture from an influx of Brazilian and Argentinian beef. He put his concerns to her in a text message last week, and his allies believe she signaled her agreement, according to people familiar with the matter.

“We need clarity on Mercosur, we ask that the deal should not be signed in its current shape,” Macron said Tuesday on a visit to Sweden, putting his demand on the record.

Macron will raise the matter directly with von der Leyen when they meet in Brussels this week at a summit of European Union leaders. His trump card is von der Leyen’s own precarious future.

As she contemplates running to lead the Commission for a second five-year term, the German politician cannot afford to alienate one of the bloc’s most powerful leaders, according to several officials, who, like others, asked to remain anonymous in order to speak candidly.

…

“No stop”

Despite Macron’s remarks, EU officials and Mercosur diplomats rejected suggestions from the Elysée that the talks had been put on hold. Chief negotiators met last week in Brazil, and are due to reconvene by videoconference in coming weeks, Mercosur diplomats said.

“There is no stop,” Michael Hager, head of the cabinet of EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, told an event in Brussels on Tuesday. “It’s certainly not the case that we suddenly tear up our papers, go home and lie down in a deckchair.”

Commission spokesperson Olof Gill confirmed there had been an exchange between Macron and von der Leyen, but did not say whether she had ordered the trade talks to be put on hold, noting instead that outstanding remained to address.

“Currently the Commission’s assessment is that the conditions to conclude the Mercosur negotiations are not met,” Gill said.

The highly sensitive interaction between the French president and the head of the European Commission crystallises a moment of acute political pain for EU leaders.

Across the continent, the farm protest movement has spread rapidly in recent weeks and months. Demonstrations have brought gridlock to parts of Germany, Poland, Belgium and France.

The details of their grievances vary from one country to another. But one common theme among the placards and rallying cries is how EU policies, ranging from climate initiatives to easing import rules for Ukrainian produce, have undermined European farmers’ incomes and left many agricultural businesses on the brink of collapse.

For the French, among others, the Mercosur deal is one step too far.

CONTINUE READING HERE

Featured image: Michael Campanella/Getty Images

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4 Comments on Macron’s bombshell text threatens to wreck von der Leyen’s trade deal

  1. 4 years ago, 20 Févr 2020 :

    Médiapart révèle les salaires des dirigeants de la FNSEA payés par les cotisations des agriculteurs
    https://www.latribune.fr/economie/france/mediapart-revele-les-salaires-des-dirigeants-de-la-fnsea-payes-par-les-cotisations-des-agriculteurs-840217.html

    Jusqu’à 14.900 euros mensuels. Avec un art consommé du timing – le Salon de l’Agriculture (SIA) ouvre ses portes samedi à Paris -, le site d’information Mediapart vient de dévoiler la rémunération des hauts dirigeants du syndicat majoritaire chez les agriculteurs. Alors que “30% des agriculteurs n’ont pas pu se dégager de revenu durant l’exercice 2017”, ces révélations font tache pour le syndicat agricole qui accuse Mediapart de “règlement de comptes”.

    La première organisation syndicale agricole, la FNSEA, a accusé mercredi le site d’information Mediapart de s’être livré à un “règlement de comptes” en révélant les rémunérations importantes perçues par ses principaux dirigeants. Des révélations gênantes au vu de la précarité d’une grande part des agriculteurs, comme le reconnaissait d’ailleurs mardi 18 février la présidente de la FNSEA, Christiane Lambert, cité en introduction de l’article de Mediapart:

    « (…) un certain nombre d’agriculteurs ont l’économie de leur exploitation dans le rouge. 30 % des agriculteurs n’ont pas pu se dégager de revenu durant l’exercice 2017. »

    Lire (sur Mediapart) : “A la FNSEA, le train de vie hors sol des dirigeants”

    Dans un communiqué, la FNSEA “s’insurge contre un article tenant plus du règlement de comptes que de l’enquête journalistique”. (…)

    Mercredi à la mi-journée, Mediapart a publié les salaires du nouveau directeur général du syndicat Clément Faurax, de son remplaçant au poste de directeur adjoint Jean-Louis Chandellier, et les différentes rémunérations attribuées à la directrice générale sortante Catherine Lion.

    Selon le média, Clément Faurax “émarge aujourd’hui à 13.400 euros brut mensuels” à l’issue d’une revalorisation de 22% décidée après son arrivée en avril 2019. Toujours selon cet article, son remplaçant, Louis Chandellier, a bénéficié pour sa part d’une augmentation de 30% de sa rémunération, désormais de 9.600 euros brut.
    Un cumul emploi-retraite qui atteint 12.500 euros par mois

    “Les augmentations réalisées restent dans la tendance des augmentations habituelles”, avait répondu M. Faurax dans un entretien à Mediapart.

    Enfin, le journal en ligne s’était penché sur les rémunérations attribuées à Catherine Lion après son départ de la direction. Restée conseillère à temps partiel jusqu’en septembre, elle avait bénéficié d’un salaire de base de 8.900 euros et d’une prime mensuelle de 6.000 euros, selon l’avenant à son contrat de travail consulté par Mediapart.

    À la retraite depuis octobre, elle cumule désormais sa pension avec un salaire à temps partiel (notamment, car elle a été désignée par le syndicat pour siéger au Conseil économique, social et environnemental) pour un montant total de 12.500 euros, sans que cette situation de cumul soit inédite au sein de la FNSEA, signale Mediapart.

  4. Our fake prime minister declares how so beautiful it has become in France that a prime minister can be overtly homosexual.
    Next : in 6 months, expect a goat to declare at the same microphone how beautiful it is that even a goat can become prime minister of France.

    The fake gouvernment might get away with their tons of lies.
    But the collaborators might no more.
    French farmers attacking a police station with a manure cannon :

    Cerveaux non disponibles
    @CerveauxNon
    ·Suivre
    Dans la Creuse, des agriculteurs ont attaqué un commissariat de police avec du fumier !
    10:18 PM · 30 janv. 2024
    https://twitter.com/CerveauxNon/status/1752441178249675106

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