Habeck warns of plans for a coup
“When there are gallows hanging on tractors…”
January 8, 2024, 1:17 p.m
First, farmers prevent Robert Habeck from leaving a ferry, then they paralyze life in many places: The Federal Minister of Economics warns of an escalation of farmers’ protests and sees nothing less than democracy in danger. Radicals and populists are “fully motivated and mobilized.”
Two days after the blockade of a ferry with Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck on board, the Green politician spoke in detail for the first time about the farmers’ protests. In a video message published on social media, the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection offered discussions about the basic financing of agriculture and at the same time urgently warned against an attack on liberal democracy. “There are calls circulating with fantasies of subversion, extremist groups are forming, ethnic-nationalist symbols are being shown,” said Habeck, referring to the instrumentalization of the farmers’ protests by interested third parties. Something was slipping in the country.
“The farmers’ association repeatedly emphasizes that it wants to demonstrate non-violently and peacefully,” said Habeck. But that doesn’t resonate with everyone taking part in the protests. “When gallows hang on tractors, when tractor convoys drive to private houses, then a limit has been crossed,” warned Habeck. The constitutional state must hold people who want to undermine it accountable. “Social media campaigns, some of which are paid for by Putin, in which you present yourself as a victim in order to justify violence against people and things, political programs that advocate overthrow or even repopulation and always blame others, right-wing radicals, who use the protective space of freedom to abolish it: We cannot tolerate that,” Habeck continued.
Habeck blames Union partly
In Germany, a nationwide week of protest by farmers against planned subsidy cuts began on Monday. Supported by other opponents of government policy, farmers are blocking city centers and highway entrances. Habeck was unable to leave a ferry in Schleswig-Holstein on his way home from his vacation on Thursday because several hundred demonstrators blocked the ferry pier. The protests were sparked by the federal government’s plans to eliminate subsidies for agricultural diesel and vehicle taxes for agricultural vehicles. These cuts are now coming on a smaller scale in the wake of the protests. On Monday, the cabinet approved its extensive savings plans, of which agricultural subsidies are only a small part, and which are now to be passed by the Bundestag.
“We have accommodated the farmers with large parts of the cost pressure,” said Habeck. However, according to the Federal Constitutional Court’s ruling, the government has to cut spending. “It is a fact that the Union sued with the aim of saving billions.” These savings were “broadly distributed” in the package. At the same time, Habeck emphasized his understanding of the concerns and needs of farmers and recalled that he himself was Minister of Agriculture in Schleswig-Holstein for six years, visited numerous farms and spoke to even more farmers.
Discuss alternatives to subsidies
“Yes, they operate under powerful economic pressure,” said Habeck. “Farmers often cannot pass on their production costs because the prices are not set by them.” These would be determined by the large discounters, the slaughterhouses and dairies as well as the fluctuating world market prices. As a result, fewer and larger farms would have to produce more and more in order to keep up economically. “It is the industrialization of agriculture,” said Habeck. The farmers’ association itself has also supported this development so far.
Under the agriculture ministers of the CDU and CSU, “over a hundred thousand businesses” had given up,” said Habeck, thereby holding the largest opposition party and the farmers’ association jointly liable for the farmers’ situation. There are alternatives to subsidies: “fair prices, good pay for demanding people Work, for sustainability, climate protection and animal protection, for direct marketing”. The current debate is a good opportunity to talk about the future shape of agriculture in Germany. Habeck did not say how such a dialogue could begin in a timely manner.
“Populists are on the rise”
The Green Minister also doubted that agricultural reform was the concern of many protest participants. “There is more to the announced protests than the government decision that has now been announced,” said Habeck. “Hope for a better future has given way to fear of a worse one,” he said. “We must not allow extremists to hijack this uncertainty.” Habeck warned against fantasies of “wanting to overthrow our democratic state.”
There is “no guarantee that the debate in Germany will not become increasingly brutal, so that in the end the law and the rule of law are at risk.” Civil courage means standing up for others. Democrats have to stick together. “The radicals and populists are gaining momentum, they are fully motivated and mobilized.” The “large silent majority” must get involved and stand together against anti-democrats, who are “the common main enemy.”