Demonstrations by German farmers will resume next week unless Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government revises its plan to raise taxes on diesel fuel in the agricultural sector, which has sparked mass mobilization of farmers and transporters during weeks of protests, it warned on Thursday. German farmers, France Presse and Agerpres report.

“If nothing is done now about diesel in agriculture, there will be further protests and actions next week,” German Farmers’ Association (DBV) president Joachim Ruckwid said at a press conference in Berlin.

“Everything that has been said has only increased the anger of the farmers, not calmed them down,” warned a representative of the farmers, who called on the government to take action to prevent further protests.

Last week, German farmers mobilized en masse against a tax reform under which Chancellor Scholz’s government, forced to cut spending due to Germany’s economic downturn, plans to gradually reduce tax breaks on diesel fuel until they are completely abolished this year in 2026.

After roadblocks across Germany, thousands of farmers came to Berlin on Monday with tractors for a large demonstration, where they also demanded the resignation of Olaf Scholz, whose Social Democratic Party governs with the Greens and liberals.

But this coalition, which has already agreed to phase out fiscal incentives for diesel fuel, refuses to make any further concessions. Speaking to protesters on Monday, Finance Minister Christian Lindner, a liberal, tried to explain to them that the German state must keep its budget deficit under control and that it must increase its military spending as a result of the war in Ukraine.

During this time, discontent also emerged from other sectors of the economy, and the government fears that the protests will continue. For example, logistics and transport workers have planned a demonstration in Berlin on Thursday, demanding, among other things, the lifting of road tax increases and CO2 emissions charges from vehicles.