Joachim Rukwied, the president of the German farmers' union, called on the government to scrap its plans to phase out fuel subsidies, warning that many farmers would be driven to bankruptcy by the decision. The government has the ability to change this, he told thousands of protesters gathered at the Brandenburg Gate, adding: This much is too much. Take back the proposals. As soon as the government signalled it was prepared to backtrack, Rukwied promised, the tractors will be withdrawn.
Christian Lindner, the finance minister and the main force behind the decision to cut the fuel subsidy, was greeted with loud boos and whistles as he took to the stage to address the rally. Your protest is legitimate and your protest is peaceful, he told the protesters, praising their cohesion. But his words were hardly heard above the angry tumult. He acknowledged that anger among farmers went beyond the diesel subsidy. Something has been brewing for decades, he said. We need to talk. He added that a new phase had arrived, in which we need to speak afresh about what the function of the state is.
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