Large demonstration in Berlin – Söder criticizes traffic lights

The climax of the farmers' protests on Monday: CSU boss Markus Söder demands a reversal of the traffic light cuts for farmers before the large demonstration in Berlin.

• Cities and highways paralyzed: Farmers demonstrate in Germany
• Before a large demonstration in Germany: CSU leader Markus Söder supports farmers' protests
• Farmer protests at their peak: Farmers are increasing the pressure with a demonstration in Berlin

Update from January 14th, 10:22 p.m.: The Potsdam police headquarters is expecting around 5,000 tractors and agricultural machinery on the way to the capital for the farmers' protests in Berlin. Due to the journey, the police are expecting severe traffic obstructions from farmers, especially on Sunday, but also early Monday morning. “The federal and country roads leading into Berlin will be particularly busy,” the police said.

Farmers' protests on Monday in Berlin and Germany: “Don't overflow, it exploded”

At ntv A Brandenburg farmer commented on where he believes the farmers' frustration comes from and why so many took part in the farmers' protests in Germany and the climax is expected at the large demonstration on Monday in Berlin. For Christoph Plass, it is above all the canceled and reduced funding that plays the most important role in the blockades and the outcry from farmers.

“You often hear this from many farmers now, saying that the diesel decision was the last straw that broke the camel’s back. But actually the barrel didn’t overflow, it exploded,” emphasized Plass ntv. “There is so much pressure on the farmers.”

Farmers' protests in Berlin: the climax of the blockades on Monday with a large demonstration

First report from January 14th, 10:13 p.m.: Berlin – While farmers in federal states such as Saxony have announced an end to the blockades, the climax of the farmers' protests is planned for Monday with a large demonstration in Berlin. In the capital alone, 3,000 tractors are expected at the farmers' demonstration.

At the climax of the wave of protests in Berlin, Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) is also scheduled to appear as a speaker. In addition, there is apparently also a conversation between the parliamentary group leaders of the traffic light coalition and representatives of various agricultural associations.

Farmer protests in Germany: Movement could come into the conflict between traffic lights and farmers

At the edge of Farmers' protests in Germany, which are probably also supported by the AfD apart from the large demonstration in Berlin, there could possibly be some relief in the conflict between the traffic light coalition and the farmers, which has been simmering since mid-December. Farmers are protesting with farmer blockades due to the federal government's announcement that it is considering abolishing vehicle tax exemptions for agricultural machinery and subsidizing agricultural diesel.

In view of massive protests, the traffic light reversed the end of the vehicle tax exemption and some of the cuts for farmers in the agricultural diesel dispute at the beginning of the year. The diesel benefits are to be eliminated in several steps by 2026.

Farmer blockades in Germany: Farmers paralyzed cities and highways with protests

However, the partial reversal of the planned cuts does not go far enough for farmers, which is why farmers have been marching against the cuts for a week with large rallies and blockades of motorway entrances across Germany. In Bavaria alone, the farmers' protests numbered in the thousands. But also in other federal states like Farmers in Lower Saxony have further campaigns planned.

On Friday, Bavaria's farmers' president Günther Felßner launched a frontal attack on the traffic lights at the large farmers' demonstration in Nuremberg. The president of the Bavarian Farmers' Association threatened a “hot January” and demanded that the planned austerity measures must be completely withdrawn in order to enable further negotiations. The farmers also received support from Prime Minister Markus Söder. At the rally in Nuremberg, the CSU chairman emphasized his full support for the farmers' demands. “These measures in Berlin must go.”

Söder supports farmers' protests: Bavaria's Prime Minister criticizes traffic lights before a large demonstration in Berlin

We must finally understand that agriculture is the basis for the country's nutrition, said Söder at the farmers' protests in Nuremberg. And the day before the farmers' protests at the large demonstration in Berlin, the CSU boss renewed his criticism of the traffic lights. “It would be correct to completely withdraw these decisions,” said Söder on Sunday Deutschlandfunk.

The cuts were “one-sided to the detriment of agriculture and also inappropriate”. “Agriculture makes an enormous contribution to our country,” emphasized Söder. Bavaria's Prime Minister described the subsidy cuts as a “unilateral, permanent attack on agriculture”. This must be withdrawn. “It would be best if the traffic lights admitted their mistake,” said Söder.

Large demonstration in Berlin: freight forwarders and craftsmen take to the streets with farmers during farmers' protests

The farmers also received further support from Jens Spahn for their renewed farmers' protests in Germany and Berlin. The CDU politician demanded in the newspapers Editorial Network Germany (RND) also “this clear signal from the traffic lights” to completely reverse the cuts.

The organizers expect thousands of farmers to attend the demonstration on Monday in the capital. In addition to tractors, buses and trucks are also expected to arrive at the rally. Because freight forwarders and craftsmen support the farmers' protest. On the Straße des 17. Juni in Berlin-Mitte on Sunday morning, the police already counted around 200 tractors, 40 trucks and dozens of other vehicles.

Large demonstration in Berlin: Farmers in Germany are once again increasing the pressure with renewed farmer protests

With the final large-scale demonstration of the farmers' protests in Berlin, farmers want to once again insist on their rights. The farmers' association's statement states that the argument that abolishing tax relief for agricultural diesel would contribute to the reduction of environmentally harmful subsidies is incorrect.

The current range of alternative drives for agricultural and forestry tractors and work machines is, “to put it cautiously, extremely manageable,” it continues. “The amount of diesel fuel used will therefore not be reduced and the positive climate impact suggested by the deletion will not occur.” The spokesman for the Bavarian Farmers' Association, Markus Drexler, said Picture: “The compromise that is now on the table means for the industry: die slowly.” (with material from dpa and afp)