Farmers began a week of protests on January 8 over plans to axe certain subsidies for agriculture, after a court ruling forced the government to find savings in the 2024 budget. Around 100,000 tractors took to the streets over the course of the protests, according to the German Farmers Association (DBV). Workers from various sectors, from metallurgy and transport to education, have staged protests in recent weeks amid struggling economic growth and rising prices. The farmers' rallies have also attracted far-right demonstrators, sparking fears that extremists are seeking to exploit the protest movement. Pferdmenges said far-right protesters represented only a "very small number" of people at the farmers' protests.

Source: Ethiopian News January 15, 2024 16:23 UTC