At this year’s Wir haben es satt! Demonstration in Berlin, thousands of farmers, activists and consumers gathered in front of the Reichstag to demand bold action on agri-food policy, urging the next German government to deliver fair prices, support for agroecological farming and decisive climate action ahead of a pivotal federal election.
On Saturday, January 18, in Platz der Republik in front of the federal parliament building in Berlin, the 15th annual Wir haben es satt! (WHES, or We are fed up!) demonstration brought together a diverse alliance of voices fighting for fair and ecological food systems.
The demonstration united farmers, consumers and nature, animal welfare and climate activists from about 60 organisations, and called on the future federal government to make a reliable commitment and provide ambitious support for agroecological agriculture. “We all want healthy food. We all want animal welfare, environmental and climate protection. The next federal government must finally provide adequate support for farms!” said Anne Skambraks, campaign leader of the WHES alliance.
Thousands of people joined the demo, with organisers estimating 9,000 attendees, significantly more than police estimates. Conspicuously absent this year were the tractors, confined to farmyards by the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease identified in a herd of water buffalo in Brandenburg earlier this month.
German election and the future of agriculture
“Vote for Courageous Agri-Policy” banner on the green area in front of the Bundestag building. Photo: Fabian Melber/www.wir-haben-es-satt.de
Much of the day’s focus centered on the importance of the upcoming German federal election, with speakers emphasising the extent to which food system transformation will depend on who is in government.
“Vote for Courageous Agri-Policy” read a large banner on the green area in front of the Bundestag building. Olaf Bandt, Chairman of the German Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND), commented:
“The agricultural policy of recent years and decades has failed to set a courageous course for agriculture. The result is massive problems and hardly any prospects for farms. Civil society, the agricultural sector and science have developed joint solutions for this. After the elections, a new federal government must finally push ahead with animal welfare, climate and environmental protection. This will also open up new future prospects for our domestic farms!”
Highlighting that good economic prospects are a prerequisite for farmers’ sustainable transition, the WHES alliance also called on the incoming government to legislate for cost-covering producer prices and secure financing.
Antje Hollander of young AbL reminded those present of the farmer protests that took place this time last year, emphasising that the causes of the protests, such as lack of added value for farmers, have not been addressed in the reactionary measures which followed.
“The political leaders in Brussels and Berlin are allowing these issues to persist without resistance,” she said. “The next federal government must finally adopt a courageous and forward-thinking agricultural policy that implements existing agreements on restructuring animal husbandry and greening agricultural practices. Young farmers like me need a long-term perspective.”
Global justice
The event also addressed global food system injustices. Morgan Ody of La Via Campesina highlighted the stark contrast between growing hunger and corporate profits:
“733 million people worldwide are suffering from hunger, while the profits of multinational agribusiness companies are soaring. La Via Campesina builds international peasant solidarity against all forms of capitalist, colonial and patriarchal domination. Every day we globalise the struggles in order to globalise hope.”
Tobias Schied and Carla Reemtsma, from Fridays for Future, criticised a system of politics that repeatedly prioritises corporate interests over climate action:
“Anyone who fights against climate protection is attacking the very basis of our existence. Agriculture needs climate protection, which is why the next German government must finally deliver with climate neutrality by 2035 at the latest.”
As demonstrators marched through the German capital, the sun shone and music filled the air. Colourful signs carried messages including “Eco over Ego”, “Save Our Seeds”, “Farms not factories”, “Food is a human right” and “Agriculture and society, hand in hand”. The clear skies and common ground perhaps offered a moment of hope at a time when many are concerned about Germany’s political direction and the critical role of the upcoming elections.
Save Our Seeds and singing on Friedrichstrasse, Berlin. Wir haben es satt! 2025. Photo: Hannes Lorenzen
This article was produced as part of the Rural Europe Takes Action – Germany project, supported by the Robert Bosch Stiftung.
