After decades of negotiations, EU-Mercosur deal hinges on France and Italy

Alberto Rizzi, Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, sheds light on the shifting European political calculus surrounding the long-awaited EU-Mercosur trade agreement. Italy’s recent pivot in favor of the deal reveals a strategic weighing of national economic benefits over protecting Italian farmers. Rizzi offers a nuanced view, cautioning against viewing this as a monolithic threat or panacea. At its heart, this is a case study in how modern democracies grapple with global interdependence and rural disenfranchisement.