European Farmer Crisis: Finance Minister Shown ‘Yellow Card’
Farmers in Germany continue to protest against the government’s decision to phase out agricultural subsidies. The protests escalated in the capital Berlin, where farmers gathered in front of the Brandenburg Gate with their tractors. Police announced that no more tractors would be allowed in the city center, but other professional groups, particularly transporters, also supported the farmers’ protest.
The protests caused traffic disruptions in Berlin, as farmers closed 17 June Street and surrounding connection roads with approximately 6 thousand vehicles. Public transportation, especially city bus services, were heavily impacted, and there were disruptions in suburban train services as well.
The farmers demanded that the government withdraw its planned subsidy cuts, arguing that they have lost income and would lose their competitive position as a result. They called on the government to secure the future of agriculture by providing fair producer prices to cover their costs, fair land prices, and adequate assistance for the restructuring of animal husbandry and environmentally friendly land use.
Farmers also criticized German Finance Minister Christian Lindner during the protests. The President of the Farmers’ Federation, Joachim Rukwied, called for the cancelation of tax increases on farmers and stated that the federal government’s proposals were not fair. He warned the government that “enough is enough, we will not accept this.”
Minister Lindner confirmed the government’s intention to phase out tax breaks for agricultural diesel and stated that there will be no new concessions regarding subsidy cuts. This response led to farmers booing the Minister and chanting slogans such as “Get out”, “Government resign” and “We are the people”.
The alliance of agricultural and other organizations called for new protests against the federal government’s agricultural policy. They plan to take action once again during the planned conference between agriculture ministers and the Green Week Agricultural Fair in Berlin. The government’s plan to cut 920 million euros from the agricultural sector has triggered the resentment of farmers, leading to widespread protests. The removal of subsidies for agricultural diesel fuel and the vehicle tax exemption for agricultural vehicles are key issues for the protesting farmers.
