(Berlin) Thousands of German farmers on their tractors blocked the center of Berlin on Monday and promised to remain mobilized as long as the government of Olaf Scholz does not abandon its plans to eliminate tax advantages for their profession.
“The sooner the German government comes up with a solution to withdraw its tax increase plans, the sooner farmers will leave the streets,” warned the president of the German Farmers’ Federation, Joachim Rukwied.
After a week of protest, the agricultural world wants to maintain pressure on the ruling coalition in a context of growing discontent among the German population.
In front of the Brandenburg Gate, thousands of farmers greeted Finance Minister Christian Lindner with boos, calling him a “liar” and ordering him to “get out” as he spoke from a podium.
“This government must resign,” said Paul Brzezinski, 73, a milk producer based southeast of Berlin, summarizing a sentiment that seemed widely shared.
PHOTO EBRAHIM NOROOZI, ASSOCIATED PRESS
German farmers demonstrate in front of the Brandenburg Gate.
The reasons for the anger: the announcement in December of a reduction in subsidies to the sector due to a call to order from constitutional judges relating to Germany’s strict budgetary rules.
Faced with protests, the government coalition made up of social democrats, greens and liberals backpedaled somewhat at the start of the year.
It maintained the tax advantage on vehicles for forestry and agriculture. In addition, it decided to gradually and not suddenly eliminate the advantage for agricultural diesel “in order to give the companies concerned more time to adapt”.
Mr. Lindner told the demonstrators that “their mobilization had already paid off”.
But these concessions are considered insufficient by the demonstrators. “The subject of agricultural diesel must be resolved. Then we can talk about the rest,” warned Joachim Rukwied.
“For years, we have been mistreated. But that’s the bouquet: never have we experienced such a lack of respect,” Ute Rötz, a 58-year-old organic cereal producer near Magdeburg (east), told AFP.
Resentment seemed to dominate among the demonstrators, like Martina Magg-Riedesser, from Biberach (south): “We are constantly being slapped on the wrist, we have been constantly prescribed, regulated, regulated and now enough is enough. It’s over, we’re not letting this happen anymore. »
“Well over 5,000 tractors,” according to the police, blocked the streets of the capital and sounded their horns. Some protesters were arrested after setting off firecrackers.
PHOTO EBRAHIM NOROOZI, ASSOCIATED PRESS
A farmer poses for the camera.
On the vehicles parked along the main Berlin avenue Unter den Linden, many slogans expressed their distrust against the tripartite coalition of Olaf Scholz called “traffic light” because of the colors symbolizing the parties which compose it.
“Turn off the traffic light, that’s enough,” was written on one of them. And on another: “The traffic light must clear”.
A meeting on Monday between representatives of farmers and leaders of the parliamentary groups of the ruling parties ended without concrete progress.
On Friday, the Minister of Agriculture, Cem Özdemir, is due to open “Green Week” in Berlin, the largest agricultural fair in Germany, which already promises to be eventful.
The mobilization of farmers increases the pressure on the government, whose approval rate for policy has never been lower. The far right, which is on the rise, particularly in the east of the country, is seeking to take advantage of the farmers’ revolt.
In a recent poll carried out for the daily Bild, 64% of Germans said they would like a change of executive.
Different sectors, from metallurgy to education to transport, have organized protests in recent weeks, against a backdrop of sluggish growth and rising prices. German GDP contracted by 0.3% last year, according to data released on Monday.
Rail workers’ strikes paralyzed transport last week, while metalworkers and public sector workers staged walkouts in December to demand wage increases.