Unlike his colleague Robert Habeck, Minister of Agriculture, Cem Özdemir was confronted by a group of angry farmers on the third day of their protest week. Amid whistles and boos, the 58-year-old emphasized that he was not involved in the decision-making that led to the subsidy cuts for farmers. He fought it too, Özdemir said.
The Green politician, who appeared at a farmers’ meeting in Ellwangen (Baden-Württemberg), considered the reversal of the originally planned abolition of the motor vehicle tax exemption a success. “It’s not nothing,” said Özdemir, who received repeated whistles and boos.
There was also applause
But there was also applause – when the minister called for more understanding and appreciation on all sides. These words were also appealing: “In the future, the professional association and those involved must be involved in advance in decisions of this magnitude.”
Özdemir warns of “conditions like those in the US”
The day before, Özdemir had warned of further division in society. “People in rural areas feel like they are being abandoned. They are afraid that they will be left out in a politics that is increasingly dominated by city residents,” the Green politician told the newspapers of media group Funke. “This is a dangerous divide that could lead to conditions like those in the US: people no longer talk to each other, they no longer believe each other and they accuse each other of all the evil in the world.” The goal should be to keep the country ‘in the middle to stay together’.
There was criticism from the Baden-Württemberg State Farmers’ Association after the appearance before several hundred farmers and representatives of other sectors who expressed solidarity with the angry hosts. The minister “left it completely open about what sustainable agriculture could look like and actively take shape in his opinion.” But it is precisely this question that concerns many young farmers.
Also on Wednesday, several thousand farmers in various German states protested against the agricultural policy of the traffic light coalition. These were largely peaceful. However, a strike by Deutsche Bahn train drivers made traffic disruption caused by tractors and other agricultural vehicles even more difficult.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
