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  • Absentee citizens in France scramble to make their voices heard in high-stakes legal election

    Absentee citizens in France scramble to make their voices heard in high-stakes legal election

    PARIS (AP) — Citizens who do not anticipate to be able to cast tallies themselves are rushing to make their voices heard in France’s high-stakes legal election by registering in their numerous thousands to hand their ballot rights to liked ones and buddies.

    The Interior Ministry stated Tuesday that it counted 410,000 such demands in the very first week after President Emmanuel Macron‘s statement on June 9 that he was liquifying France’s National Assembly, parliament’s lower home. That bombshell followed a humbling defeat by the reactionary National Rally celebration in the European Parliament election.

    The ministry stated the number is 6½ times more than it signed up for the very same weeklong duration in the last legal election in 2022.

    The rush by citizens to finish documents that will enable other individuals they depend cast tallies for them in the very first phase on June 30 of the two-round election is partially since of time pressures. Macron’s surprise choice and the compressed amount of time in between parliament’s dissolution and the election captured citizens off guard, with some currently having actually made other strategies.

    The election — the definitive 2nd round is July 7 — likewise bumps up versus the start of France’s yearly summer season holiday season, when millions head to beaches and somewhere else.

    The rise in registrations by most likely absentee citizens likewise shows the significance they are connecting to the election, which is currently improving the French political landscape even before tallies are cast.

    The possibility that the vote might produce France’s very first reactionary federal government considering that the Nazi profession in The second world war had a stunning impact on the National Rally’s challengers left wing of French politics. Within days of Macron’s statement, celebrations left wing that were formerly divided put distinctions aside to form a union to counter the far-right’s rise.

    With crazy marketing now in progress, citizens are currently preparing to make their option in between the 2 opposing camps — or Macron’s centrist bloc in the middle.

    Rémi Lefebvre, a teacher of government at Lille University, stated on broadcaster France Information that citizens who make plans for others to cast tallies for them tend to be politically engaged and knowledgeable. That numerous thousands have actually done so recommends that they see the election as “definitely definitive in their individual programs and in political life,” he stated.

    The stakes are “extremely high,” Lefebvre included, “since of the point of view of success by the right wing, so that prompts electors to vote.”

    Jordan Bardella, the National Rally president wishing to end up being France’s prime minister, appealed Tuesday to citizens to hand his celebration a clear bulk.

    “There is an historical chance to turn the tide of history, to alter the policy in our nation and modification course. However in order to do so, I require to have an outright bulk,” he stated in a broadcast interview with CNews.

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    Catherine Gaschka added to this report.

  • Macron addresses French citizens after requiring breeze election in wake of squashing reactionary defeat

    Macron addresses French citizens after requiring breeze election in wake of squashing reactionary defeat

    PARIS (AP) — President Emmanuel Macron is dealing with French citizens Wednesday for the very first time given that he required a snap nationwide election following a squashing defeat of his celebration by the far-right in the European vote.

    Macron is anticipated to discuss his stunning choice to liquify the National Assembly, France’s lower home of parliament, that has actually set off an early legal election to occur 3 weeks after the reactionary National Rally celebration of Marine Le Pen thrived at the election for the European Union Parliament.

    On Sunday, Macron stated he chose to call an early vote since he might not disregard the brand-new political truth after his pro-European celebration was handed a chastening defeat and gathered less than half the assistance of the National Rally with its star leader, Jordan Bardella.

    Macron, who has actually 3 years left of his 2nd governmental term, hopes citizens will unite to consist of the far best in nationwide elections in a manner they didn’t in European ones.

    However Sunday’s choice to liquify parliament and send out to the surveys citizens who simply revealed their discontent with Macron’s politics was a dangerous relocation that might lead to the French reactionary leading a federal government for the very first time given that The second world war.

    Prospective alliances and France’s two-round ballot system in nationwide elections make the result of the vote extremely unsure.

    Opposition celebrations left wing and right have actually been rushing to form alliances and field prospects in the early legal balloting that will occur on June 30 and July 7.

    While sharp distinctions in between celebrations stay on either side of the political spectrum, popular figures requiring an unified front appear to have something in typical: They don’t wish to comply with Macron.

    In spite of their departments, left-wing celebrations concurred late Monday to form an alliance that consists of the Greens, the Socialists, the Communists and the far-left France Unbowed of Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

    National Rally leader Marine Le Pen is working to combine power on the right in efforts to equate the European victory into a nationwide win and come closer to declaring power. The reactionary celebration, with a history of bigotry and xenophobia, is anticipated to win the most French seats in the European Parliament, possibly as numerous as 30 of France’s 81.

  • Political unpredictability puts French monetary markets under pressure

    Political unpredictability puts French monetary markets under pressure

    A screen shot reveals French President Emmanuel Macron speaking throughout a telecasted address to the country throughout which he revealed he is liquifying the National Assembly, French Parliament lower home, and calls brand-new basic elections on 30 June. Ludovic Marin/AFP/dpa

    The calling of early parliamentary elections in France continued to tax the nation’s monetary markets on Tuesday.

    The stock exchange fell visibly and the euro currency exchange rate likewise stayed under pressure. Yields on French – however likewise Italian – federal government bonds increased dramatically.

    On Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron remarkably revealed breeze elections for the National Assembly. These are to happen on June 30 and July 7.

    The factor for the statement was the clear success of the conservative nationalist National Rally (REGISTERED NURSE) in the European Parliament elections. According to surveys, National Rally is likewise ahead in the parliamentary elections.

    The left-wing celebrations in France are intending to run as an alliance in the elections, which likewise aggravates the electoral potential customers for Macron’s centrist bloc. Both the conservative and left-wing celebrations are making huge costs assures to citizens.

    The score firm S&P Global Scores, previously Basic and Poor’s, just recently devalued France’s credit score. On Tuesday, the score firm Moody’s stated the early elections would even more threaten spending plan combination in France.

    The costs of French federal government bonds came under restored pressure on Tuesday. In turn, the yield on 10-year federal government bonds increased to 3.32%, its greatest level given that November 2023. Yields likewise increased visibly in Italy.

    The French CAC 40 fell by 1.22% to 7,798.5 points in the early afternoon. The euro was up to $1.0724, its most affordable level given that the start of May.

  • Vietnam’s leading security authorities To Lam verified as president

    Vietnam’s leading security authorities To Lam verified as president

    BANGKOK (AP) — Vietnam’s leading security authorities To Lam was verified Wednesday as the country’s brand-new president. He managed authorities and intelligence operations over a duration when rights groups state standard liberties have actually been methodically reduced, and its secret service was implicated of breaking worldwide law.

    Lam was verified by Vietnam’s National Assembly after his predecessor resigned amidst a continuous anti-corruption project that has actually shaken the nation’s political facility and organization elites and has actually led to numerous high-level modifications in federal government.

    Vietnam’s presidency is mostly ritualistic, however his brand-new function as president puts the 66-year-old in a “really strong position” to end up being the next Communist Celebration basic secretary, the most essential political position in the nation, stated Nguyen Khac Giang, an expert at Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

    Communist Celebration General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong was chosen to a 3rd term in 2021, however at age 80, he might not look for another term after 2026.

    Trong is an an ideologue who sees corruption as the gravest danger dealing with the celebration. As Vietnam’s leading security authorities, Lam has actually led Trong’s sweeping anti-graft project.

    Lam invested more than 4 years in the Ministry of Public Security before ending up being the minister in 2016. His increase happened while Vietnam’s politburo lost of 6 of its 18 members amidst the broadening anti-graft project, consisting of 2 previous presidents and Vietnam’s parliamentary head.

    Lam lagged a lot of the examinations into prominent political leaders, stated Giang.

    Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is viewed as the other significant competitor to perhaps be successful Trong, Giang stated.

    The present vice-speaker of Vietnam’s parliament was verified Monday as the National Assembly speaker after his predecessor, Vuong Dinh Color, resigned amidst the anti-graft project. Up until his resignation, Color was likewise commonly viewed as a possible follower to Trong.

    This extraordinary instability in Vietnam’s political system has actually scared financiers as the nation attempts to place itself as an option for business aiming to move their supply chains far from China.

    A flood of foreign financial investment, specifically in production of modern items like smart devices and computer systems, raised expectations it might sign up with the “4 Asian Tigers” — Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan, whose economies went through quick industrialization and published high development rates.

    However the scandals and unpredictability — consisting of the death sentence for a realty magnate implicated of embezzling almost 3% of the nation’s 2022 GDP — have actually brought with them unpredictability and governmental reticence to make choices. Financial development slipped to 5.1% in 2015 from 8% in 2022 as exports slowed.

    Throughout Lam’s years heading the general public Security Ministry, Person Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other guard dog companies have actually highly slammed Vietnam for its harassment and intimidation of critics.

    In 2021, courts founded guilty a minimum of 32 individuals for publishing important viewpoints about the federal government and sentenced them to numerous years in jail, while authorities jailed a minimum of 26 others on made charges, according to Person Rights Watch.

    Under Tam’s watch as Vietnam’s leading security manager, civil society dealt with more curbs, foreign help constraints presented in 2021 were tightened up in 2023, the nation imprisoned environment activists, and laws were presented to censor social networks, stated Ben Swanton of The 88 Task, a group that promotes for liberty of expression in Vietnam.

    “With To Lam’s climb to the presidency, Vietnam is now an actual authorities state,” stated Swanton, including that the Vietnamese judgment Politburo was now controlled by present and previous security authorities. He stated he anticipated even more surge of repression and censorship.

    While Vietnam was under a COVID-19 lockdown in 2021, a video emerged revealing Turkish chef Nusret Gokce, widely called Salt Bae, feeding Tam a gold-encrusted steak in London. Regardless of efforts to censor it, the video went viral, stiring prevalent anger from individuals sustaining infection lockdowns that worsened financial deprivations.

    Meantime, a Vietnamese noodle supplier called Bui Tuan Lam, who followed the video with a parody of Salt Bae, was jailed on charges of spreading out anti-state propaganda and sentenced to 5 years in jail.

    It was likewise under Lam’s period as public security minister, in 2017, when German authorities state Vietnamese business owner and previous political leader Trinh Xuan Thanh and a buddy were abducted and dragged into a van in downtown Berlin, in what authorities there called “an unmatched and ostentatious infraction of German and worldwide law.”

    Vietnam has actually kept that Thanh gave up to Vietnamese authorities after averting a worldwide arrest warrant for almost a year. Germany stated he and his buddy were abducted, and reacted by summoning Vietnam’s ambassador for talks and expelling its intelligence attaché.

    Thanh was sentenced to life jail time in 2018 after being prosecuted in Vietnam.

    Revealing espionage-related charges in 2022 versus a male implicated of becoming part of Thanh’s kidnapping, the German Federal District attorney’s Workplace stated the kidnapping was an “operation of the Vietnamese secret service” performed by Vietnamese representatives and members of its embassy in Berlin along with numerous Vietnamese nationals residing in Europe.

    The suspect, recognized just as Ahn T.L. in line with German personal privacy laws, was founded guilty in 2023 of helping and abetting a kidnapping as a foreign representative and sentenced to 5 years in jail.

    “The relationship in between Germany and Vietnam continue to be shaken by this criminal offense to this day,” the German court stated at the time.

    Another suspect, recognized as Long N.H., was founded guilty in 2018 in a Berlin court of espionage-related charges and sentenced to almost 4 years in jail.

  • Vietnam to Focus On Financial Development as Obstacles Mount

    Vietnam to Focus On Financial Development as Obstacles Mount

    (Bloomberg) — Vietnam’s federal government will focus on supporting financial development in the middle of sticking around obstacles from weak worldwide need, Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai stated.

    A Lot Of Check Out from Bloomberg

    Gdp development has actually gotten however it still deals with numerous obstacles, Khai stated in an address to the National Assembly as it assembled for the summer season session Monday. Commercial activity is recuperating at a sluggish rate, he stated.

    Vietnam, which has actually developed into a production powerhouse and took advantage of moving supply chains in the middle of US-China stress, is feeling the impact of raised rate of interest internationally as they depress need for items. Although the economy’s growth has actually been amongst the fastest in Asia, it’s still listed below the pre-pandemic level of 7%.

    The nation will make every effort to satisfy the greatest financial output possible, Khai stated, while including that the Southeast Asian country deals with the possibility of high inflationary pressure this year.

    While the Israel-Hamas war has up until now had a restricted financial effect internationally, any escalation in stress with Iran might possibly choke trade circulations through the Strait of Hormuz — which some price quote might lead to a $1 trillion drop in world GDP.

    Vietnam’s federal government targets financial development of 6%-6.5% this year — greater than the 5.8% forecasted by the International Monetary Fund. The main inflation objective is in between 4% and 4.5%.

    The federal government will continue policies consisting of decreasing loaning rate of interest, postponing financial obligation payments and lowering taxes to support service, Khai stated.

    Vietnam’s economy slowed in the very first quarter owing to an irregular healing in exports and production activity. The return of an environment of political stability is anticipated to support belief going on.

    The Communist Celebration revealed the election of a brand-new president and the chairman of the National Assembly over the weekend, in visits that might assure financiers that the revolving door of leading political leaders will end.

    A Lot Of Check Out from Bloomberg Businessweek

    ©2024 Bloomberg L.P.

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  • Further riots in France’s New Caledonia, second police officer killed

    Further riots in France’s New Caledonia, second police officer killed

    The French Pacific territory of New Caledonia was rocked by riots for a third night in a row after France’s National Assembly approved contentious voting reforms which angered independence supporters.

    Five people, including two police officers, have died so far in the unrest, while hundreds of others have been injured.

    France’s Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said one police officer died on Thursday as a result of “an accidental shot,” broadcaster France Info reported.

    The main airport remained closed. The largest hospital announced that it was treating mainly only emergency cases. However, due to road blockades, many patients had problems reaching the hospital at all.

    Local media published photographs and videos of destroyed supermarkets and petrol stations, which had been looted. Fires set off by pro-independence protesters were still being reported in shops, shopping centres and car parks.

    Since the start of the riots in the territory of 270,000 residents, 206 people have been arrested, Darmanin told broadcaster France 2.

    “Calm is being restored,” he said, adding that additional police officers would be deployed to New Caledonia and the military would also be there to provide support only.

    “There will be no army on the streets of New Caledonia,” he said.

    Darmanin also accused Azerbaijan of meddling. According to French media reports, Azerbaijan is backing independence supporters in New Caledonia as part of the Baku Initiative Group.

    Demonstrators in New Caledonia have displayed Azerbaijani flags and worn shirts with slogans of the Azerbaijani organization. Baku is retaliating against France’s support for Armenia in the conflict with Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

    In response to the violence in the archipelago in the South Pacific, Paris declared a state of emergency on Wednesday for 12 days.

    Declaring a state of emergency makes it easier for authorities to impose curfews and ban demonstrations, among other actions.

    The High Commission in New Caledonia said that around 5,000 rioters were involved in the unrest in the greater Nouméa area around the capital. Despite curfews, the situation was not yet under control.

    The riots began as France debated a bill to give thousands of French citizens in the territory the right to vote in provincial polls. The National Assembly in Paris then adopted the reform.

    New Caledonia’s pro-independence movement fears the change will result in a weakening of political influence among the Indigenous Kanak people.

    The grand council of Kanaks – Inaat Ne Kanaky – condemned “the unjustified vandalism and violence involving the use of firearms on public streets” and called for the arrest of those responsible.

    At the same time, the council regretted that the French government had adopted the constitutional reform without taking into account the resistance of the vast majority of the indigenous population.

    For Paris, New Caledonia is important militarily and for its nickel.

    The territory, located 1,200 kilometres east of Australia, has gained extensive autonomy through the so-called Nouméa Agreement after being a French colony from 1853 to 1946.

    Residents voted to remain part of France in three referendums on independence held in 2018, 2020 and 2021. The independence movement boycotted the last vote, saying it would not accept the result.

    Long queues of worried citizens formed outside many shops because food was already being rationed, the 1ère Nouvelle-Calédonie radio station reported. Some petrol stations had also run out of petrol.

    The president of the local assembly in New Caledonia’s Southern Province, Sonia Backès, asked Paris for financial support.

    “Our territory has been in the grip of unprecedented violence for 72 hours,” Backès, a prominent activist in favour of remaining part of France, wrote in a letter to Prime Minister Gabriel Attal.

    The initial damage to New Caledonia’s economy is estimated by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry at €150 million ($163 million).

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  • South Korea’s parliament approves independent investigation of the devastating 2022 Halloween crush

    South Korea’s parliament approves independent investigation of the devastating 2022 Halloween crush

    SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s parliament on Thursday approved legislation mandating a new, independent investigation into the 2022 Halloween crush in Seoul that killed 159 people.

    The single-chamber National Assembly passed the bill by a 256-0 vote. It will become law after it is signed by President Yoon Suk Yeol and promulgated by his government agency — steps that are considered formalities because the president and his ruling party already agreed on the legislation.

    The bill is meant to delve into the root cause of the crush, details about how authorities handled the disaster and who should be blamed for it. It also envisages the creation of a fact-finding committee with nine members that would independently examine the disaster for up to 15 months.

    Once the committee determines who is responsible and who should face charges, it would report them to the government’s investigation agencies. The agencies would then conclude investigations of the suspects within three months, according to the bill.

    The crush, one of the biggest peacetime disasters in South Korea, caused a nationwide outpouring of grief. The victims, who were mostly in their 20s and 30s, had gathered in Seoul’s popular nightlife district of Itaewon for Halloween celebrations.

    In the aftermath of the tragedy, there was also anger that the government had again ignored safety and regulatory issues despite the lessons learned since the 2014 sinking of the ferry Sewol, which killed 304 people — mostly teenagers on a school trip.

    In early 2023, a police special investigation concluded that police and municipal officials failed to formulate effective crowd control steps, despite correctly anticipating a huge number of people in Itaewon. At the time, investigators said police had also ignored hotline calls by pedestrians who warned of swelling crowds before the surge turned deadly.

    More than 20 police and other officials have been on trial over the disaster but few top-level officials have been charged or held accountable, prompting bereaved families and opposition lawmakers to call for an independent probe.

    President Yoon had previously opposed a new investigation of the disaster.

    However, during a meeting with liberal opposition leader Lee Jae-myung on Monday, Yoon said he would not oppose it, should some existing disputes be resolved, such as whether the fact-finding committee can request arrest warrants.

    A shift in Yoon’s position came as he faces growing public calls to cooperate with Lee’s Democratic Party, which scored a massive win in the April 10 parliamentary election, extending its control of parliament for another four years.

    In a meeting with Yoon’s ruling People Power Party on Wednesday, Lee’s party agreed to remove contentious clauses from the draft bill.

    “I can’t describe how fortunate it is as we can pass the special law now,” the Democratic Party’s chief policymaker Jin Sung-joon said ahead of the vote. “We’ve accepted the demands raised by President Yoon Suk Yeol and his ruling party in consideration of the desperate requests by the bereaved families, who said they can’t wait any longer.”

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  • South Korean opposition has clear win in parliamentary elections

    South Korean opposition has clear win in parliamentary elections

    Voters have given the social-liberal opposition a comfortable majority in Wednesday’s parliamentary elections in South Korea, dealing a heavy blow to President Yoon Suk Yeol.

    The Democratic Party (DP) of opposition leader Lee Jae Myung was able to maintain its position as the largest single party in the 300-seat National Assembly, South Korean broadcasters reported.

    As a result of the opposition’s success in the election, the conservative head of state now faces the threat of becoming largely incapable of domestic political action during his remaining three years in office.

    After more than 90% of the votes were counted in 254 constituencies, the DP could reportedly count on 160 seats, while Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP) would be represented by 91 MPs in future.

    In addition to the direct mandates, 46 seats are allocated to list candidates in the quadrennial election based on the proportional share of the vote.

    In Asia’s fourth-largest economy, the opposition’s success signalled a continuation of the difficult political balance of power.

    Yoon’s party had hoped for a shift in power in its favour to push through legislative projects more easily. PPP leader Han Dong Hoon had already expressed his disappointment at the exit polls conducted by various broadcasters, which had predicted an overwhelming victory for the opposition.

    Experts spoke on television of a looming disaster for the government camp.

    The election was seen as an important interim test for the government led by Yoon. The next presidential election is scheduled for 2027.

    Yoon, who narrowly won the election two years ago ahead of DP leader Lee, will no longer be eligible for re-election. According to the country’s constitution, Yoon can continue to govern as president even if the opposition has a majority in parliament. However, in this case, important legislative reforms by the government could be blocked.

    The election campaign was characterized by mutual attacks between the parties.

    The DP and other parties called for judgement to be passed on the government, which they accused of economic incompetence in the face of rising prices for food and other goods. The PPP asked voters to support the government’s reform policy with their vote and to keep the opposition in check.

    More than 44.25 million citizens were eligible to cast their votes in Wednesday’s election. According to preliminary figures from the state election commission, the turnout was 67%, the highest figure for parliamentary elections in 32 years.

    Officials begin counting ballots at a ballot counting station set up at a gym, after the general elections to choose 300 lawmakers ended. -/YNA-Pool/dpa

    Officials begin counting ballots at a ballot counting station set up at a gym, after the general elections to choose 300 lawmakers ended. -/YNA-Pool/dpa

    Officials of the main opposition Democratic Party, including its leader Lee Jae-myung (2nd from R, front row), react at the National Assembly, as TV exit polls of the general elections to choose 300 lawmakers project its overwhelming victory over the ruling People Power Party. -/YNA-Pool/dpaOfficials of the main opposition Democratic Party, including its leader Lee Jae-myung (2nd from R, front row), react at the National Assembly, as TV exit polls of the general elections to choose 300 lawmakers project its overwhelming victory over the ruling People Power Party. -/YNA-Pool/dpa

    Officials of the main opposition Democratic Party, including its leader Lee Jae-myung (2nd from R, front row), react at the National Assembly, as TV exit polls of the general elections to choose 300 lawmakers project its overwhelming victory over the ruling People Power Party. -/YNA-Pool/dpa

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  • France’s Senate rejects bill to ratify EU-Canada trade deal because of farmers’ concerns

    France’s Senate rejects bill to ratify EU-Canada trade deal because of farmers’ concerns

    PARIS (AP) — France’s Senate voted overwhelmingly Thursday to reject legislation to ratify a 2017 trade deal between the European Union and Canada that has been criticized by farmers as bringing unfair competition from abroad.

    The EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or CETA, provisionally went into effect in September 2017 after all EU governments agreed to it, but its full implementation requires approval by each national parliament.

    Thursday’s 211-44 vote in the Senate does not necessarily mean that France ultimately will reject ratification. The vote sends the bill back to the powerful National Assembly, which previously has approved it and can move to override the Senate rejection and give final approval to the measure.

    If the Assembly should reject the legislation during its second vote, that would signal France’s failure to ratify and could unravel the EU trade deal.

    Opposition in the Senate centered on concerns about shielding local farmers from what they consider unfair competition and protecting France’s food sovereignty. The Assembly has not yet set a date to consider the legislation.

    The ratification process across the European Union has been slow, with France and nine other EU countries, including Italy and Belgium, not yet giving their approval.

    There have been significant increases in trade volume between the EU and Canada since the trade deal provisionally went into effect. From 2017 to 2023, trade between the two jumped by 51%, with French exports to Canada rising by 33%.

    Despite these economic gains, CETA has faced criticism, including over its impact on European farmers and the environment. Critics argue it could undermine local agriculture and increase greenhouse gas emissions due to more transport of goods.

    CETA aims to eventually eliminate nearly 99% of tariffs. It includes special recognition for certain European products like Agen prunes and Savoie reblochon.

    The Senate’s rejection pressures the National Assembly, which only narrowly passed CETA in 2019. If France or any other EU member state definitively rejects the treaty, it could unravel, affecting the parts of the agreement already in operation.

    French senators’ vote comes after farmers across France and Europe demonstrated on their tractors earlier this year in protests over low earnings, heavy regulation and what they call unfair competition from abroad, often criticizing free-trade agreements, including the CETA.

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