Top Posts
African climate change projects secure major funding
Former French PM urges China, Europe to unite...
NDDC, FOSDO launch tree-planting campaign to address climate...
WHO unveils an ambitious blueprint for action on...
New report shows nearly 900 million poor people...
Lagos to Host 2025 International Climate Change Summit
New study shows overheating world will add 57...
NAICOM urges W’African insurers to invest in climate...
Climate change: Nigeria, development partners launch Net Zero...
Nigeria launches net zero project to fight climate...
EcoNai Newsroom
  • Newsround
  • Nigeria
  • Africa
  • World
World

Report: Tractors block Berlin as farmers protest over fuel subsidy cuts

by admineconai January 15, 2024
written by admineconai January 15, 2024
639

Thousands of tractors are reported to have brought Berlin’s city centre to a standstill as farmers from across Germany protested on parliament’s doorstep over rising costs and a plan to phase out agricultural fuel subsidies.

Accordig to available reports, an estimated 30,000 protesters, including farmers supported by a wide range of representatives from other industries from fishing to gastronomy to logistics, blocked the streets around the government quarter on Monday with their vehicles, including lorries and forklift trucks, and even children’s toy tractors.

Joachim Rukwied, who is the president of the German farmers’ union, was quoted to have called on the government to scrap its plans to phase out fuel subsidies, warning that many farmers would be driven to bankruptcy by the decision.

“The government has the ability to change this,” he told thousands of protesters gathered at the Brandenburg Gate, adding: “This much is too much. Take back the proposals.” As soon as the government signalled it was prepared to backtrack, Rukwied promised, “the tractors will be withdrawn”.

Read also: Report: Energy from data centres could heat UK swimming pools

On his Christian Lindner, who is the finance minister and the main force behind the decision to cut the fuel subsidy, was greeted with loud boos and whistles as he took to the stage to address the rally.

“Your protest is legitimate and your protest is peaceful,” he told the protesters, praising their “cohesion”. But his words were hardly heard above the angry tumult.

He acknowledged that anger among farmers went beyond the diesel subsidy. “Something has been brewing for decades,” he said. “We need to talk.” He added that a “new phase” had arrived, “in which we need to speak afresh about what the function of the state is”.

The demonstration marked the culmination of a week of protests across the country that have attracted a growing number of workers from other fields, including thousands of trades people from heating engineers to plumbers, angry over high energy costs, mounting bureaucracy, high add-on labour costs and a lack of consultation.

Story was adapted from the Guardian.

BerlinFarmersFuel subsidyProtestTractors
0 comment 0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
admineconai

previous post
Report: Energy from data centres could heat UK swimming pools
next post
Oxford becomes UK’s electric bus capital as 159 vehicles join fleet

Related Posts

Former French PM urges China, Europe to unite...

October 22, 2025

WHO unveils an ambitious blueprint for action on...

October 20, 2025

New report shows nearly 900 million poor people...

October 20, 2025

New study shows overheating world will add 57...

October 16, 2025

Heaviest monsoon in a decade kills 458 people...

October 9, 2025

Council releases first fully electric bin lorry

October 9, 2025

Study shows US asthma inhalers produce same emissions...

October 7, 2025

Pope Leo hits out at climate change critics

October 3, 2025

Protesters seek $5tr payment from fossil fuel companies

October 1, 2025

UN official says climate change displaces up to...

September 30, 2025

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Newsletter

Subscribe my Newsletter for new blog posts, tips & new photos. Let's stay updated!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin
  • Bloglovin
  • Vimeo

@2021 - All Right Reserved. Designed and Developed by Eco-Nai+

EcoNai Newsroom
  • Newsround
  • Nigeria
  • Africa
  • World