Cabinet mainly buys time in nitrogen discussion: ‘Crisis in slow motion’ | provincial elections

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Apr 01, 2023 at 05:01Update: 25 minutes ago

After three days of hard negotiations, the top of the cabinet has mainly bought time not to have to make major decisions about nitrogen policy. The high word is out: the CDA wants to renegotiate the deadline for when nitrogen emissions must be halved. Already in 2030 or not until 2035?

Despite the cabinet members’ attempts to explain that this is the best solution for now, the comments are not tender. “We are watching a cabinet crisis in slow motion,” tweets Wim Voermans, professor of constitutional law in Leiden.

Criticism from opposition parties is also strong. GroenLinks leader Jesse Klaver sees “total powerlessness” in the cabinet. “What a mess,” says PVV leader Geert Wilders.

Since the election results of the Provincial Council on 15 March, the cabinet has acted as if a broad search was being made for an analysis of how it is possible that the BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB) ​​won so overwhelmingly in all provinces.

But a possible cabinet crisis ultimately revolves around that one sentence in the coalition agreement: ‘We are accelerating the targets in the Nitrogen Reduction and Nature Improvement Act from 2035 to 2030.’

‘We must serve clear wine’

Not a good idea, according to the CDA. The Christian Democrats have been trying to force something since the summer, but are only now putting their money where their mouth is by discussing a concrete change in the agreement.

“We must pour clear wine on this part of the coalition agreement,” said CDA leader and Deputy Prime Minister Wopke Hoekstra about the reduction target of 2030. His party lost heavily in the provincial elections. More than predicted in the polls. The party itself was also shocked by this.

Compared to the previous ballot box, many CDA voters stayed at home or opted for BBB. For the Christian Democrats, this loss was an extra push to adjust the nitrogen policy.

Hoekstra does not want to immediately break open the coalition agreement, but first wait to see what the provinces come up with that are now negotiating about the administrations. BBB is the largest party in all provinces and is therefore the first to act in coalition formation. In any case, the party wants to get rid of it by 2030.

‘We don’t listen enough’

This step by the CDA creates an unclear situation in which provinces make plans that may conflict with government policy. If that is the case, the government’s policy may be adjusted.

According to Hoekstra, this is a logical way of working. He fears that he will make the same mistakes when nitrogen plans are made from an inner room in The Hague. “Then we listen too little and take too little account of the sector and what is going on in the provinces.”

The CDA leader also does not want to get in the way of the already difficult process of the agricultural agreement and he wants to wait for the arrangements that farmers receive if they voluntarily stop their business. Once all this information has been received, Hoekstra will make a final decision on an adjustment request.

‘Be a man Wopke’

Hoekstra does not have to count on the approval of BBB leader Caroline van der Plas. She is happy that the deadline of 2030 is under threat. “So it is possible,” says Van der Plas in a video that she posted on Twitter. “It’s just a pity that it is thrown over the fence at the provinces.”

Van der Plas would have preferred the CDA to lie down right before ‘2030’. “Come on Wopke. Be a man. Draw a line in the sand and say: we don’t want this.”

Still, it is not a bad idea that Hoekstra sees Van der Plas as an ally more than coalition partner D66. There is a good chance that CDA and BBB will form coalitions in the provinces. That advice has in any case already been given in Friesland, South Holland and Zeeland. D66 is not yet part of this list.

“To a large extent, that party has exactly the same program as the CDA”, Madeleine van Toorenburg, CDA deputy in Limburg and former Member of Parliament, recently said about BBB.

D66 makes its own assessment

D66 does not want to hear about a postponement and warned months ago about “simmering provinces”. The biggest test for the cabinet will therefore come when the CDA formally submits a request for adjustment.

D66 leader Kaag could only respond coolly to that on Friday evening. She emphasized that the CDA request to renegotiate is not an agreement, but simply a right of every coalition party. “As D66, we take note of that.”

Until then, the democrats are quietly waiting to see what the CDA comes up with. Kaag: “We will then make our own, independent assessment of what we think of it.”

With this step, the space in the coalition agreement has been maximized. Given the attitude of CDA and D66 in recent months, even after the campaign, this is more a next step towards escalation than a bit more relaxation.

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