German farmers continue protests – 72 percent of the population understands the major attack of the Houthi rebels in the Red Sea – the night update

On Wednesday, thousands of farmers in Germany also fought to get government support. Many people can understand that. But there are more days of protest to come.

Blocked highway access, demonstrations and rallies: Farmers’ protests continue, but there are no new concessions from the federal government in the dispute over subsidies. Despite traffic restrictions, most people understand farmers, according to a survey.

In a representative survey by the Yougov Institute for the German Press Agency, 45 percent said they found the actions completely justified. Another 27 percent see the protests as “somewhat justified.” About one in five respondents disagree or strongly disagree.

According to another Yougov survey, on Monday alone, almost one in five respondents “were affected by the farmers’ protests in terms of transportation” on January 8. So far, no major supply bottlenecks have occurred.

The highlight of the week of action is a demonstration in Berlin on Monday, January 15. Protests are planned again this Thursday, for example in Frankfurt am Main, Hannover and Karlsruhe. For example, on Wednesday there were large rallies with numerous tractors in Dresden and Augsburg. According to the port authority, farmers in Bremerhaven blocked the access roads and thus the operation of the container terminal. In various places in Germany, farmers again temporarily blocked highway entrances.

The farmers’ protests are aimed at the planned subsidy cuts by the federal government. The tax credit on agricultural diesel will then be gradually abolished. The fact that the traffic light coalition has withdrawn some of its austerity plans is not enough for the Federal Farmers’ Association.

Özdemir warns against division

Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) emphasized during a meeting in Ellwangen, Baden-Württemberg that he did not agree with the planned subsidy cuts for farmers. However, his words were accompanied by boos and whistles.

Özdemir told the newspapers of media group Funke (Wednesday): “People in the countryside have the feeling of being left behind.” They feared they would be left out in a politics increasingly dominated by city residents. “This is a dangerous divide that could lead to conditions like those in the US: people no longer talk to each other, they no longer believe each other and they accuse each other of all the evil in the world.”

In the ZDF Morgenmagazin, farmer president Joachim Rukwied expressed satisfaction with the actions so far, which the Land Creates Connection initiative had also called for in many places. “The protests went well, went well, we kept the escape routes clear,” said Rukwied. He called the federal government’s previous concessions a lazy compromise. The farmers reserve the right to take further action after January 15.

The Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hendrik Wüst, proposed a committee, similar to the Coal Commission, to solve the problem. The federal government should convene a committee with all relevant stakeholders on the future of agriculture, the CDU politician told the “Rheinische Post” (Wednesday). The chair of the “Wirtschaftsweise”, Monika Schnitzer, supported the planned cuts for farmers and other groups in the 2024 federal budget. “Many are calling for subsidy cuts, but no one voluntarily raises their hand to offer themselves cuts,” said the economist. the newspaper. (sda/dpa)