Expensive agricultural diesel and vehicle tax: farmers paralyse Germany on 8 January
Farmers in Germany are taking to the barricades because of the loss of subsidies for agricultural diesel and the new motor vehicle tax for agricultural vehicles. Today, Monday, they want to paralyse Germany. Switching to local transport will probably not be a good idea either, as the GDL labour union is also planning to strike.
The political year 2024 is off to a stormy start. Farmers, who protested in Berlin at the end of last year against the new rules on the cancellation of subsidies for agricultural diesel and the abolition of tax exemptions for agricultural vehicles in Berlin, are going one step further. They have announced that they will be demonstrating today, Monday, in Berlin and all other state capitals, paralysing main roads. Motorway slip roads and inner-city traffic routes could be blocked by tractors and other machinery for long periods of time today.
Monday could be a real challenge for commuters, as the train drivers' union, GDL, has also announced new strikes. Switching to the railway is therefore not an option in many places.
Farmers are also trying to get hauliers and tradespeople on board. As a result, supply chains and manual labour could also come to a standstill on Monday.
Depending on how politicians react to the protests, traffic disruptions could drag on for the rest of the month or even longer. The political decision to cut subsidies and levy the tax will be met with many other regulations relating to transport and emissions in the new year. For example, the new lorry toll, which stipulates a classification according to CO2 consumption, is now also in force. The German government also cancelled the e-car premium at short notice.
Although all of this may be a necessity on the road to greener mobility, the farmers and hauliers affected are suffering from the changes. It's not just the state that has to make savings. Many farmers and logistics companies are struggling with the price of diesel, electricity and raw materials. Ultimately, the rising prices in production will be borne by consumers, i.e. all of us.
So if you're stuck in a traffic jam this Monday because a tractor is blocking your way or you're waiting at the station for a train that isn't coming, please understand the strikers. They are also standing up for our interests.