With important regional elections approaching, Spain’s centre-right Partido Popular (PP) is positioning itself as a champion of farmers by challenging the EU–Mercosur trade agreement, turning the deal into a domestic confrontation with the far-right Vox.

This stance puts the PP at odds with its European allies in the European People’s Party (EPP), who have generally supported rapid implementation of the agreement.

On Thursday, PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo cautioned against rushing the deal and accused Vox of betraying farmers during a crucial vote in Strasbourg on Wednesday.

Vox, part of the Patriots for Europe group, voted to send the agreement to the EU’s top court, celebrating its ability to stall ratification, Euractiv reports.

However, the European Commission could still implement the trade deal provisionally, a scenario that appears increasingly likely and is supported by conservative leaders such as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Feijóo, meanwhile, reaffirmed his reservations about the agreement, while noting that “the geopolitical situation would demand formalising an alliance between the EU and Latin America.”

Feijóo stated that additional safeguards were necessary before the deal could take effect, even though such measures had already been negotiated by PP MEP Gabriel Mato.

Earlier this week, Mato himself urged rapid implementation of the agreement, cautioning that “delaying the EU-Mercosur Agreement would come at a high cost.”

The protection measures led by Mato are scheduled for a vote in the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade (INTA) next Tuesday and are expected to reach the plenary in February, according to a parliamentary official.

Their approval will proceed independently of the legal challenge to the agreement passed on Wednesday.

The Spanish EPP delegation echoed Feijóo’s stance in a social media post, accusing Vox of misleading farmers.

“Vox and its new leftist and nationalist partners haven’t blocked the agreement; instead, they’ve prolonged the agony of the agricultural sector. You’ve been deceived!” the post states.

Some PP MEPs have expressed more open support for the deal. On Thursday, Adrián Vázquez Lázara stated that the party backs the agreement “because we know it’s a real opportunity for our economy and good for our farmers.”

Meanwhile, Vox ridiculed what it called the conflicting messages coming from within the PP.

“Get your act together at [PP headquarters] because your colleagues in Brussels are demanding that Mercosur be implemented provisionally now,” stated Vox MEP Jorge Buxadé.