French government faces no-confidence motions despite Mercosur opposition

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 new threat to the government from the far right and left's motions comes despite the fact that it led opposition to the deal. Prime minister Sebastien Lecornu denounced them as "cynical partisan posturing".