The anger of farmers is reflected at the ballot box, to the point of jeopardizing the government’s environmental ambitions.
Political earthquake in the Netherlands! A few days ago, the “Farmer-Citizen Movement” (“BoerBurgerBeweging” or “BBB”), was still a microscopic party, which had only one elected representative, Caroline van der Plas, its leader, elected deputy in 2021 – on the day of her inauguration, she had arrived in Parliament by tractor.
>> Netherlands: the “Citizen Farmer Movement” causes a stir before the local elections
In the provincial elections of Wednesday March 15, surprise: the BBB comes first… it breaks the house! And as these elections determine the composition of the Senate, BBB suddenly becomes the most powerful party there for the next four years.
The symbol of the inverted flag
No one saw it coming: neither Caroline van der Plas, nine the polls…let alone the government. In front of her supporters on Wednesday evening, the new muse of the Dutch political landscape wore her usual green nail polish and a ring adorned with an overturned Dutch flag, a symbol of anti-government demonstrations.
Normally, these Dutch provincial elections do not really interest the Dutch. But this year the participation (regarding 57.5%) is exceptionally high. For the agricultural world, the stakes were enormous.
SSU in the province of Overijssel
Spectacular result announced by BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB). Severe setback by the Christian Democrats (CDA), one of the radical right parties (FvD) and the liberal party of Prime Minister Mark Rutte (VVD). pic.twitter.com/Tvli5ITxyF
— Pascal Delwit (@PDelwit) March 15, 2023
Because it is at the level of the provinces that the government will set up in June its ambitious plan to reduce nitrogen emissions, intended to comply with European recommendations, but which arouses the anger of farmers. “We don’t really feel heard, sometimes we don’t even feel welcome in our own country anymore.“, told AFP last week Erik Stegink, national president of the BBB and pig farmer.
Eviction of farmers
This plan plans to reduce the number of animals by at least 30% at national level and to expel farmers whose farms are located too close to Natura 2000 areas to protect them from pollution.
The soils are full of nitrous oxide, ammonia and nitrates and the effluents from pig and dairy farms represent almost half of the greenhouse gas emissions produced by the country.
Thirty years ago, the Netherlands made the choice of intensive farming, that’s how they succeeded in becoming the 1st exporter of meat in the European Union, despite its small size (regarding 41 500 km2 for 18 million inhabitants).
No, 6% of current bbb voters also voted in favor in 2021 @BoerBurgerB . Fortunately, the number of BBB voters has grown explosively, 100/6 = 16.67% growth, is that correct?
I am very happy and proud that I was already among those first voters. pic.twitter.com/9i5WC3HmPk— Jacoline Peek (@JacolinePeek) March 17, 2023
Except that today this model is in an environmental, economic and societal impasse. Its reform is a necessity. Yet the “Farmer-Citizen Movement”, supported by part of the population, continues to defend it. “I am very happy and proud to have already been one of these first voters” from BBB in 2021, says this user.
Classified as a right-wing, populist, rather anti-European Union and anti-immigration party, BBB asks why the government does not attack other sectors such as industry and transport. The Hague wants to release 25 billion euros by 2035 to help the agricultural sector reduce its nitrogen emissions.
The weakened government
The coalition of Mark Rutte, already a minority in the Senate, obtains less than 30% and takes quite a blow. It’s not “not the victory we wanted “, conceded the Prime Minister to the Dutch press agency ANP. Already forced to find compromises piecemeal, she will now have difficulty getting her program through by the next general elections in the spring of 2025. Farmer-citizens will be able to demand big concessions on her plan. anti-nitrogen.
The Prime Minister, at the head of the centre-right VVD party, in office since 2010, is in his 4th consecutive mandate: he has seen others. But he should not overlook the fact that the farmers’ movement has also won the votes of a part of the voters who are tired of or who have lost confidence in the traditional parties. “BBB’s historic win is the result of many protest votes“, says Marleen de Rooy, journalist at NOS public television. Mark Rutte, “Mr. Teflon”, so nicknamed because everything slips over him without ever reaching him, this year risks… hanging on a little.
