Farmers from all over Germany descended on Berlin

Farmers from all over Germany descended on Berlin aboard tractors on Monday in a protest against the government's planned budget cuts.
Thousands of farmers were expected in the demonstration that involves hundreds of tractors driving to the landmark Brandenburg Gate for a rally around 11am.

The convoy caused disruption on the roads as tractors drove towards the centre of Berlin.

According to Berlin police, around 3,000 participants are expected. Police said traffic restrictions were expected until Monday afternoon due to "several hundred tractors" in the city.

A convoy with around 150 tractors came from the north of Germany early on Monday morning, a spokesman for the Farmers' Association told Berlin broadcaster rbb. The farmers gathered there and then continued on the B5 to Berlin.

The protest is being held against the government's plan to remove tax privileges and subsidies in the agriculture industry.

The coalition, made up of the Social Democrats (SPD), Free Democrats (FDP) and the Greens, is planning to abolish tax breaks for farmers and get rid of the agricultural diesel subsidy as part of budget cuts following the top court ruling in November that upended spending plans.

READ ALSO: How Germany plans to solve its budget crisis in 2024

The government has also said the measures should help protect the climate.

Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) said he wanted to talk with the farmers.

However, the pro-business FDP parliamentary group in the Bundestag said on Sunday that it would veto the plans to abolish tax breaks, signalling cracks in the coalition's agreement.

“The FDP parliamentary group does not consider the heavy burden on agricultural businesses to be acceptable,” FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr told DPA.

“Too often people talk about supposedly climate-damaging subsidies without looking at the social and economic consequences of abolishing them," he added.

“Above all, our farmers need fair competitive conditions compared to other European countries,” Dürr said. “That is exactly what would be at risk if the plans were implemented.”

Finance Minister Christian Lindner had "therefore already confirmed that he can present alternatives to the government if the coalition partners agree".

https://www.thelocal.de/20231218/disruption-as-farmers-with-hundreds-of-tractors-protest-in-berlin

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