He argued that the government encouraged migrants to come to Germany by guaranteeing generous social benefits and refusing to do enough to secure borders. The Federal Office for Migration estimated on Monday that 351,915 migrants applied for asylum in Germany in 2023, up 51.1% from the year before.
"The federal government's attempts to justify measures by budget deficit are absurd. Berlin wants to save money on industry and agriculture but it still finds sufficient funds for green projects, continues to support mass migration to the country," Schmidt said.
Schmidt warned that the federal government's selective austerity program would "destroy agriculture."
"Our farmers are already suffering greatly from the monstrous energy prices. The government's plans to end subsidies will become a mortal blow to the industry," he concluded.
Thousands of farmers rallied nationwide this week in protest against the planned cuts to agricultural subsidies and tax breaks, prompting the government to walk back on some of the changes. Rail workers joined the strike to demand higher pay, bringing the European Union's biggest economy to a near-standstill. More rallies by farmers are expected this weekend and will continue into the next week.