Angry German farmers stage country-wide tractor blockade against government

German farmers are staging a week of nationwide protests by blocking roads with tractors against the government's planned phasing out of agricultural subsidies. Tractors and trucks gathered on German roads on Monday, including Berlin's main avenue leading to the Brandenburg Gate, causing major disruptions. A constitutional court ruling on unutilised pandemic funds left the German government facing a 60 billion euro ($US65 billion) financial gap, leading to a sudden budget crisis. The government backtracked partially, preserving the car tax exemption and staggering the reduction of diesel tax breaks over three years. Despite this, the German Farmers' Association insists on a complete reversal and said it would proceed with a "week of action" starting Monday.