German farmers round off week of protests

BERLIN — Thousands of angry farmers descended on Berlin with their tractors and loudly booed a government minister on Monday, rounding off a week of nationwide protests against plans to cut tax breaks for agriculture.

More than 5,000 tractors were already blocking the streets and honking their horns by midmorning, a police spokeswoman told Agence France-Presse.

Finance Minister Christian Lindner put up a robust defense of the government's plans at the protest, insisting they were about "how we can get out of a difficult situation together".

But he was met with boos and whistles when he took to the podium, with protesters chanting "liar "and calling for the government to be ousted.

Farmers began a week of protests on Jan 8 over plans to cut certain subsidies for agriculture, after a court ruling forced the government to find savings in the 2024 budget.

The rallies prompted the government to partially walk back on the cuts, promising to reinstate a discount on vehicle tax and to phase out a diesel subsidy over several years instead of immediately.

But farmers say the moves did not go far enough and are urging Berlin to completely reverse the plans.

"It's not just about the most recent cuts. That was simply the straw that broke the camel's back," Hendrik Pferdmenges, 45, a crop farmer, said.

All-time low rating

The farmers' demonstrations have come at a time when approval ratings for Chancellor Olaf Scholz's uneasy three-way coalition government are at an all-time low.

In a recent poll for the Bild daily, 64 percent of Germans said they would like to see a change of government.

Workers from various sectors, from metallurgy and transport to education, have staged protests in recent weeks amid struggling economic growth and rising prices.

Strikes by railway workers brought transport to a standstill last week, while metal workers and public sector employees staged walkouts in December.

Official data on Monday showed the German economy shrank by 0.3 percent last year, as costly energy, high interest rates and cooling foreign demand took their toll.

The farmers' rallies have also attracted right-wing demonstrators, sparking fears that extremists are seeking to exploit the protest movement.

They are accused of being behind controversial stunts such as setting up gallows on the side of motorways and stopping Economy Minister Robert Habeck from disembarking from a ferry.

The right-wing Alternative for Germany party is enjoying a surge in popularity, scoring between 21 and 23 percent nationally in terms of voting intentions and more than 30 percent in some parts of the former East Germany.

Agencies via Xinhua