European Farmers Protest Against Fuel Subsidy Cuts and Rising Costs

Concerns Rise Over Far-Right Involvement and Potential Impact on EU Climate Goals

Farmers across Europe, most recently in Germany, are protesting against proposed cuts to subsidies for fuel used in farming, causing significant disruptions.
Protests have been triggered by specific national situations, such as diesel subsidies in Germany and water-saving measures in Spain, but are united by rising costs of farming inputs and environmental reforms.
Farmers argue that agricultural yields cannot keep up with growing costs, particularly in light of soaring fertilizer and fuel prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
There is concern that the protests are being hijacked by far-right groups, with banners of the far-right nationalist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party seen at many protests.
EU officials are concerned about pushback to ambitious climate goals, including a 50% reduction of chemical pesticide use by 2030, particularly with EU elections set for June.