French government calls for Christmas truce in farmer protests

French farmers with their tractors protest in front of the European Parliament against government measures, including the culling of entire cattle herds, aimed at containing an outbreak of lumpy skin disease among livestock in France, and the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement, in Strasbourg, France, December 17, 2025. The slogan reads "Stop the massacre". REUTERS/Layli Foroudi

PARIS, Dec 19 (Reuters) - The French ‌government on Friday called for a Christmas truce with protesting farmers, warning against ‌further blockades during the holiday season, a move the country's main union said ‌depended on the prime minister's response to their demands.

Farmers have been blocking roads, dumping manure and holding demonstrations in France for over a week to protest against the government's management of cattle lumpy skin disease and ‍a trade deal with the South American bloc Mercosur.