Dürr: Heavy burden on farmers cannot be approved

Before farmers' protests - Dürr: Heavy burden on farmers not acceptable

The dispute between the two parties over the planned cuts to the budget continues: the FDP parliamentary group in the Bundestag announced on Sunday that it would veto the plans of the coalition leaders to cut tax breaks for farmers. "The FDP parliamentary group considers the heavy burden on agricultural businesses to be unacceptable," FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr told the German Press Agency in Berlin. He added: "There is too often talk of allegedly climate-damaging subsidies without looking at the social and economic consequences of abolishing them."

"Above all, our farmers need fair competitive conditions in a European comparison," Dürr demanded. "This is precisely what would be jeopardized if the plans were implemented." Finance Minister Christian Lindner has "therefore already promised that he can present alternatives to the government if the coalition partners agree". The FDP leader told Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland: "To be clear, I am not a friend of the burden on agricultural businesses." That is why the government and coalition will have to talk to each other. "I am open to alternatives," he emphasized.

The German Farmers' Association has called for a rally in Berlin this Monday under the motto "Too much is too much". The aim is to show outrage at the end of regulations on agricultural diesel and vehicle tax exemptions for agriculture and forestry. Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) is also expected to speak. Sharp criticism of the planned cuts also came from the CDU/CSU.

Habeck defends decision on agricultural diesel

Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) defended the "traffic light" plans in the agricultural sector. At the same time, he defended his party colleague Özdemir. "The Federal Chancellor, the Finance Minister and I had to make the decision on the agricultural diesel subsidy as part of an overall solution," Habeck told dpa. "That was not easy and I am also aware of the hardships. The Minister of Agriculture has warned against scrapping the agricultural diesel subsidy. Cem Özdemir knows the situation of farmers and the burden and has made this very clear."

Habeck said that he had also discussed these arguments with the government partners. "But as a result of the ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court, we have to make do with less money and restrict spending. And the three of us have made this decision as part of the overall package."

CDU leader Friedrich Merz wrote in an email to his supporters that, on average, "every agricultural business will be burdened with 4000 euros in additional taxes per year" as a result of the traffic light plans. The federal government does not want to make savings, but is primarily looking for new sources of income. Yet the FDP had "promised not to increase taxes". The CDU/CSU will "work very hard to ensure that these tax increases do not happen", announced the CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader.

Breher: "This decision does not help the climate"

The deputy chairwoman of the CDU and member of the Bundestag Silvia Breher told the German Press Agency that the green sector would be burdened with almost an additional billion euros per year. "This decision will not help the climate, as there are no alternatives available to farmers and foresters." The head of the Mittelstands- und Wirtschaftsunion, Gitta Connemann, warned that no fields could be cultivated without diesel: "A cost explosion is inevitable."

Following lengthy negotiations with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP), Habeck agreed on Wednesday on how to plug billions of euros in the federal budget for 2024 and in the climate and transformation fund following a ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court. This also includes the plans for cuts in the agricultural sector.