The timing of the demonstration was strategically chosen as negotiations are ongoing between the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) and the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ).
An earlier coalition attempt between ÖVP, Neos and SPÖ stalled, reportedly mainly due to disagreements over the economy and agriculture. The UBV supporters want to increase pressure to keep their demands on the political agenda, but other agricultural organizations are more cautious due to the current tense political relations.
With about 100 tractors and several hundred participants, Austrian farmers marched to the government buildings. The protests were organized by the Unabhängige Bauernverband (UBV). The farmers handed a list with 42 demands to Walter Rosenkranz, chairman of parliament. One of the main requests is the appointment of an independent Minister of Agriculture.
The farmers are pushing for an additional investment of one billion euros in the agricultural sector. This money should be used for animal-friendly barns and to stimulate regional economic activities. The farmers emphasized that these measures are urgently needed to make the sector sustainable.
A major point of criticism is the increase in bureaucracy in agriculture. Symbolically, the demonstrators placed a stack of paper in front of parliament to highlight the administrative burden. The UBV advocates halving this bureaucracy to make farmers' work easier.
During the protest, the farmers also spoke out against the Mercosur free trade agreement. They fear this agreement will lead to unfair competition and harmful consequences for Austrian agriculture. Particularly, differences in environmental standards and production regulations between the EU and South American countries are viewed as problematic.
Parliament chairman Rosenkranz showed understanding for the farmers' concerns and promised to forward the list of demands to all parliamentary group leaders. He emphasized the importance of a strong and independent agricultural sector for Austria.
The demonstration proceeded peacefully and without incidents. It remains unclear to what extent the farmers' demands will play a role in the coalition negotiations.