Netherlands: Rutte's Government Faces Two Crises

On Saturday, there were two major protests in and around the Hague. One was by Dutch farmers who are protesting the government’s harsh policy against farmers. Apparently, the Dutch government and the omnipresent EU are concerned over high nitrogen emission levels, which they say are caused by the droppings of farm animals. So the government wants farmers to decrease their animal population and even the threat of forced expropriations of farms is being discussed. This in a highly agricultural nation where farms are critical. So on Saturday, there was a large protest by farmers, many of whom arrived at a Hague park in their tractors and bulldozers. For the most part, it was peaceful though one farmer was arrested and two cops were slightly injured. When the deadline for their protest came, they departed.

It was a different story for the climate activists, led by a group called Extinction Rebellion. They are protesting government subsidies for fossil fuel industries. Thousands of them blocked Highway A12, and when ordered to disperse by 5pm, they ignored the deadline. Police then brought in water cannons shortly after 5 pm and proceeded to drench the protesters, many of whom still refused to disperse and who remained seated on the highway. Then the cops dragged them off one by one. Reports say that around 700 people were arrested.

No, Greta Thunberg was not there.

The above video shows police using water cannons to disperse the climate activists. It is translated by Fousesquawk. (Hat tip Vlad Tepes and Gates of Vienna for subtitling.)

In addition, the below article from today’s Algemeen Dagblad describes the reactions of Prime Minister Rutte and members of his cabinet to the possibility that the issues of the farmers and asylum-seekers may lead to a collapse of the Cabinet with elections approaching. Translation by Fousesquawk.

 https://www.ad.nl/politiek/rutte-en-hoekstra-kabinetscrisis-niet-uitgesloten-door-stikstof-of-asiel~a4bc5d3c/

Caption: Premier Mark Rutte and Wopke Hoekstra, Minister of Foreign Affairs, last month during a debate over the Dutch support for Ukraine

Rutte and Hoekstra: Cabinet crisis not ruled out  over nitrogen or asylum

Vice Premier Wopke Hoekstra (CDA) and Minister-President Mark Rutte are dealing with the possibility that the cabinet will fall over the nitrogen or asylum crises. When asked, they gave air to that scenario on the Buitenhof television program on WNL on Sunday.

Jan Hoedeman March 12, 2023 at 14:24. Last update 15:27 

The two politically-sensitive subjects, nitrogen and asylum, hold the Netherlands in their grip en route to the Provincial State elections next Wednesday. Progress on both fronts is extremely difficult but must be made in the coming months. It is remarkable that the leaders of both coalition parties openly discuss the possibility of a cabinet crisis. 

Totally did not see it coming

Rutte spoke out about a possible crisis on WNL on Sunday. He doesn’t assume it in the least, but, ” You never know for sure”. He referred to his 2nd and 3rd cabinets, which succeeded. But in his first cabinet with the support of (Geert) Wilders, it failed. “I totally didn’t see that coming.”

Hoekstra stated on Buitenhof that the polarization has been the maximum on the nitrogen (issue), but the emissions must be reduced by half by 2030. ” I think that in the Netherlands we must find solutions with a base of support,” said Hoekstra. “It is not the goal to let the cabinet collapse, but that can very well be the consequence.”

“Not lightly”

Hoekstra admitted that in the summer of 2022, he had thought about a possible cabinet crisis. It was in the summer that he declared that the year 2030 was not sacred. For assurance, Hoekstra added, ” You don’t throw the towel in the ring over nitrogen or migration lightly.”

D-66-Vice Premier Sigrid Kaag, also a guest on Buitenhof, noted the nitrogen discussion: “We have had a policy of standstill. Do we go forward to 2030 or do allow ourselves to be hostage to a policy of standstill?” She also sees the interim calibration times of 2025 and 2028 as a possibility to accelerate the nitrogen approach in different provinces where things are difficult.

Consequences if necessary

Another thorny point in the nitrogen discussion is the possible expropriation from farmers by the government, who would then be forcibly bought out. On that, VVD-Chairperson Sophie Hermans said on Buitenhof that in the provinces, they are not heading toward expropriation. But: “Eventually, if you don’t take responsibility for a national problem, then necessary consequences follow. We are not quite there yet.”

CDA leader Hoekstra agreed with her: “The reality is that in the Netherlands, practically nobody will be bought out. But none of us 17.5 million has the guarantee that it will never happen.”