France has given its strongest indication yet that it’s opposed to the controversial transatlantic trade deal being negotiated between the US and the European Union.

I'm thinking of standards for health, food, and social, cultural and environmental issues. We will never accept these essential principles being jeopardised

President Hollande said his country couldn’t accept the accord as it stood now because France was against what he called free trade without rules.

Many French people are suspicious of the plan to create a vast free-trade zone in the two continents.

“We have indicated what our principles are, within the framework of international trade negotiations. I’m thinking of standards for health, food, and social, cultural and environmental issues. We will never accept these essential principles being jeopardised – for the sake of our agriculture, our culture, for reciprocal arrangements, for access to public markets,” the president told a meeting of left-wing politicians in Paris.

Deeply unpopular at home, Hollande is looking to boost his support among left-wing voters a year before France’s presidential election.

His comments follow the publication by Greenpeace of documents exposing alleged irreconcilable differences between the US and Europe.

France has no veto over the deal which the EU Commission is negotiating. But it could have influence in suspending the process.

Doubts rise over #TTIP as France threatens to block EU-US deal https://t.co/RG1CP30kJj#TTIPleaks — Greenpeace EU (@GreenpeaceEU) 3 May 2016