Budget 2024 - More and more criticism of cuts for farmers - Schwesig also opposes the traffic lights
Pressure is also growing in the SPD on the federal government to overturn the austerity plans for agriculture. "We need a strong agricultural sector, also so that prices remain stable. The cuts for agriculture go too far and come too suddenly," Manuela Schwesig (SPD), Minister President of Schleswig-Holstein, told stern magazine. The Social Democrat called on the federal government to change course: "A sensible solution must be found."
Since last week's budget agreement between the coalition leaders, the debate on individual measures has also continued within the coalition parties. The reduction of the agricultural diesel subsidy is particularly controversial. The FDP has already announced that it will block the measure. There is also a lot of criticism in the federal states. The agreement on the 2024 budget still has to go through the Bundestag. Changes could be made during the parliamentary process.
With outraged protests and a long line of tractors, thousands of farmers in Berlin took a stand against the planned end of tax breaks on Monday. "We will not accept this," shouted farmers' president Joachim Rukwied at a rally at the Brandenburg Gate. He called on the traffic light coalition to withdraw the plans to cut agricultural diesel and vehicle tax and threatened major action in January. Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) confronted the demonstrators and expressed his understanding for their discontent. He announced further consultations within the government.
Last Wednesday, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz(SPD), Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) and Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) agreed 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.
Habeck warned against abandoning the compromise. "If individual struts are now pulled out without putting in new ones, the overall solution will collapse. This means that anyone who wants to make changes in one area must offer a coordinated counter-financing solution 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.
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- Despite the FDP's announcement to block the reduction of the agricultural diesel subsidy, Manuela Schwesig from Schleswig-Holstein and the SPD are urging the Federal Government to reconsider its austerity plans for agriculture, as they believe the cuts are excessive and will negatively impact the stability of household food prices.
- In response to the controversy surrounding the reduction of the agricultural diesel subsidy, some federal states are also expressing their criticism, joining the opposition from parties such as the FDP.
- The FDP, led by Robert Habeck's coalition partner in the Federal Government, has been vocal in their opposition to the austerity plans for farmers, as they believe such cuts could have a significant impact on the overall budget and the sustainability of the agricultural sector under the Federal Government's leadership.
Source: www.stern.de
