On Monday 10th January, farmers all over Germany protested against the planned government cuts in the agricultural sector.
The Ampel (Signal) coalition plans to abolish tax concessions for agricultural diesel fuel as well as abolish car tax excemptions for (which has recently been rescinded).
Subventions in the agriculture were to be slashed by 300 million Euro, from 2,7 billion Euros in 2023 to 2,4 billion Euros in 2024.
The Berliner Telegraph was at the protests on Monday and had the chance to speak to and hear directly from the protestors. For Rosa, a young protester in her 20s, the latest plan of the government was the final straw, the last drop that caused the bucket to overflow. Farmers, according to her, have been neglected over many years, not only by the Ampel government, and previous governments before haven’t been doing enough to help German farmers, who are having to compete in a constantly challenging world market.
Without subsidies from the government, German agricultural products become highly uncompetitive, especially compared to similar products in the international market. Other countries have lower standards, cheaper input costs and many are also subsidised by their own governments.
For people that the Berliner Telegraph came into contact with, the government is not doing enough to solve the many problems and crises the country is facing. People have become worried, nervous and unsure about the future. Most of the protestors at the main demonstration on Potsdamer Platz on Monday held up anti-government, Anti-Ampel signs.
Farmers were not the only group striking on the same day. The GDL — Union of German Train Drivers also protested on Monday and most regional trains, although not all, were cancelled. Local transpot, such as the Berlin S-Bahn, U-Bahn and busses were running on schedule. Most trains travelling outside Berlin, except the premium ICE trains, were cancelled.
Germany seems to find itself in a «perfect storm», a coinciding of many different crisis, from the pandemic 3 years ago, to the migration-refugee crisis, to the energy and financial crisis, the country is facing now.