Several hundred Austrian farmers demonstrated in Vienna to draw attention to a farmer-friendly agricultural policy. The demonstration took place in front of the government buildings where negotiations are taking place on a new government coalition.
The timing of the demonstration was strategically chosen as negotiations are taking place 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 failed, reportedly mainly due to differences over the economy and agriculture. The UBV supporters want to increase the pressure to keep their demands on the political agenda, but other agricultural organisations are more reserved 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 over a list of 42 demands to Walter Rosenkranz, the chairman of the parliament. One of the most important 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 stables and to stimulate regional economic activities. The farmers stressed that these measures are urgently needed to make the sector sustainable.
A major point of criticism is the increase in bureaucracy in agriculture. The demonstrators symbolically placed a pile of paper in front of parliament to emphasize the administrative burden. The UBV advocates halving this bureaucracy to make the work of farmers easier.
The farmers also spoke out against the Mercosur free trade agreement during the protest. They fear that this agreement will lead to unfair competition and will have a detrimental effect on Austrian agriculture. The differences in environmental standards and production regulations between the EU and South American countries are seen as particularly problematic.
Parliament President Rosenkranz showed understanding for the farmers' concerns and promised to forward the list of demands to all party leaders. He stressed the importance of a strong and independent agricultural sector for Austria.
The demonstration was peaceful and without incident. It is still unclear to what extent the farmers' demands will play a role in the coalition negotiations.