Switzerland's lower house of parliament has rejected the EFTA-Mercosur trade agreement, struck with the South American bloc last year, amid opposition from both the right and the left of the political spectrum.
The agreement will now go before the upper house and, if approved there, could return to the lower house. Lawmakers voted down the deal late on Wednesday evening by 96 votes to 86, with nine abstentions.
Opposition to the agreement came both from conservative lawmakers representing farmers' interests and from left-wing parties that raised concerns over issues such as labour practices and the destruction of rainforests.
Mercosur's members are Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Source: Reuters
