The conservative pick for German agriculture minister has withdrawn his candidacy after animal rights activists stormed his farm, leading to widespread political condemnation.
Günther Felßner, a farming lobbyist backed by the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU), stated that his wife feared for her life when activists climbed onto a cattle shed she was in, displaying a banner and setting off smoke-emitting flares. As a result of the protest, Felßner announced he would withdraw his candidacy, a decision that politicians have criticized as being forced by undemocratic means. The Bavarian conservative leader demanded a special investigation, calling the incident an attack on rural life.
The acting agriculture minister in the caretaker government strongly condemned the intimidation, emphasizing that threats and coercion have no place in a democracy. He linked the incident to previous instances of disruptive protests, pointing out that similar tactics had been used in the past, including farmers blocking roads and climate activists gluing themselves to runways.
Radical protests have increasingly become a divisive issue in Germany. Political tolerance for disruptive actions appears to depend on the groups behind them. The outgoing coalition’s cuts to tractor diesel subsidies previously ignited large-scale protests, some of which involved makeshift gallows and aggressive demonstrations.
In early 2024, a government minister was trapped on a ferry with his wife by an angry mob when returning from holiday. Another high-profile politician was also prevented from leaving a meeting by farmers lighting fires and blocking roads with tractors.
The president of the German farmer’s association, who had earlier denounced the ferry blockade, expressed astonishment at the protest against Felßner and regret over his withdrawal. He labeled such actions as criminal, arguing that they had no place in legitimate democratic discourse. Additionally, he suggested that activists should be restricted from filing class-action lawsuits.
Police in Middle Franconia have launched an investigation into the protest, identifying 13 suspects accused of trespassing. Two individuals were found to have climbed onto the farm’s roof and ignited a flare.
The group responsible for the protest defended its actions as peaceful, arguing that Felßner was using the incident as an excuse to step down due to his unpopularity. An online petition opposing his candidacy had gathered 400,000 signatures.
Felßner has faced controversy in the past. In 2018, a court fined him for discharging waste onto a neighboring property, polluting the water and soil. His statements on agriculture have also drawn criticism, particularly his claims that eating meat benefits the climate. Scientific research has shown that animal agriculture contributes between 12-20% of global greenhouse gas emissions and that reducing meat consumption is a crucial step in mitigating climate change.
Activists have argued that an agricultural lobbyist with a criminal environmental record and a history of denying scientific consensus on climate change is not a suitable candidate for the agriculture ministry. They maintain that their demonstration was a justified response to a problematic appointment rather than an act of undue aggression.
