Budget 2024
More and more criticism of cuts for farmers – Schwesig also opposes the traffic lights
SPD politician Schwesig: Criticism of the traffic lights
© Bernd von Jutrczenka / DPA
Protesting farmers, unrest in the coalition: the planned cut in the agricultural diesel subsidy is causing growing criticism. In the star SPD politician Manuela Schwesig is now also opposing the traffic light plans.
Pressure is also growing in the SPD on the federal government to overturn the austerity plans for agriculture. “We need strong agriculture, also so that prices remain stable. The cuts for agriculture go too far and come too suddenly,” said the Prime Minister of Schleswig-Holstein, Manuela Schwesig (SPD), dem star. The Social Democrat called on the federal government to change course: “A sensible solution must be found.”
Since the coalition leaders reached a budget agreement last week, the debate about individual measures has also continued within the traffic light parties. This is particularly controversial reduction the agricultural diesel subsidy. The FDP has already announced that it will block the measure. There is also a lot of criticism in the countries. The agreement on the 2024 budget still has to go through the Bundestag. There could be changes as part of the parliamentary process.
After the demonstration in Berlin: Schwesig criticizes cuts for farmers
With outraged protests and a long column of tractors, thousands of farmers in Berlin took a stand against the planned end of tax breaks on Monday. “We won’t accept this,” shouted farmers’ president Joachim Rukwied at a rally at the Brandenburg Gate. He called on the traffic light coalition to withdraw the savings plans for agricultural diesel and vehicle tax and threatened larger actions for January. Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) faced the demonstrators and expressed understanding for the discontent. He announced further discussions in the government on this matter.
Last Wednesday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) and Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) agreed on how billions in holes in the federal budget for 2024 and in the climate and transformation fund should be plugged following a ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court.
Habeck warned against canceling the compromise. “If individual struts are now pulled out without inserting new ones, the overall solution collapses. This means that anyone who wants changes in one place must offer coordinated counter-financing that is viable for all sides,” he told the German Press Agency. The government could not afford not to give an answer; the budget had to be made.