"German Farmers Intensify Protests, Force Government Rethink on Agricultural Policies"
In Germany, tensions over proposed budget cuts and tax hikes led to a protest where over 100 farmers blocked Greens Economy Minister Robert Habeck from disembarking a ferry. The farmers, angry about the removal of tax privileges including a diesel fuel tax break, organized spontaneously and created a "very, very tense" situation. The government had proposed spending cuts after a court ruling created a significant budget shortfall. Despite the government backtracking on some tax hikes, farmers are planning more protests, and the incident has been widely condemned by government officials.