Protesting Spanish farmers drive hundreds of tractors to Madrid

Spanish farmers attend a protest over price pressures, taxes and green regulation, grievances shared by farmers across Europe, in Madrid, Spain, February 21, 2024. REUTERS/Juan Medina

MADRID (Reuters) -Convoys of tractors disrupted traffic around the Spanish capital on Wednesday as farmers protesting against what they see as excessive red tape and insufficient state aid converged in downtown Madrid to march towards the Agriculture Ministry.

Farmers have been protesting for weeks across Europe, most recently including Poland, Greece and the Czech Republic. They all call for less bureaucracy linked to the European Union's Common Agriculture Policy and a loosening of the bloc's environmental rules.