Who Speaks for Mercosur?

Elite mediation and the politics of the EU–Mercosur deal in Brazil and Argentina

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Main question: Who gets to speak for Mercosur in the EU–Mercosur deal? Argument: In Brazil and Argentina, the deal is filtered through elite mediation, not neutral state interest. Agribusiness, export coalitions and investor-confidence politics shape how integration is framed. Conclusion: The agreement is as much about representation and power as it is about trade.

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The EU–Mercosur agreement is being mediated through domestic elite structures in Brazil and Argentina, while many of its social costs are likely to be dispersed across everyday life.

hilal sahin Hilal Şahin is an international relations and politics undergraduate at Ankara Medipol University, with prior EU-focused training at Yeditepe University. Her research centers on security and geopolitics, with an emphasis on the Indo-Pacific/Asia-Pacific and Russia. She will join AVİM (Center for Eurasian Studies) as an intern in March and is set to undertake a NATO internship in Portugal in summer 2026, aiming to pursue a career in security and intelligence studies.

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sahin, h. (2026). Who Speaks for Mercosur?. EPIS Insight · International Relations & Diplomacy.
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