The leaders of the Senate lists of coalition parties VVD, D66 and CDA clashed about nitrogen policy during a WNL television debate. In a vote on the importance of the nitrogen target for 2030, all three voted differently.
The statement ‘Ignoring the 2030 nitrogen target is creating a standstill’ came from D66 member Paul van Meenen. He said that a ‘block bus’ from the ‘far right’ (namely: BBB, Forum for Democracy, PVV and JA21) could soon stop nitrogen policy in the Senate, and warned against this.
CDA against, VVD refuses
CDA member Theo Bovens voted against the statement, explaining that for his party the year is not sacred, but the goal is. VVD member Edith Schippers refused to vote because the statement would be polarizing.
The attitude of the three government parties led to commotion among the opposition present, PVV, GroenLinks and JA21. According to PVV member Marjolein Faber, the VVD does not dare to say that the nitrogen targets serve to drive farmers away and accommodate asylum seekers.
Annabel Nanninga (JA21) said to watch the discussion between the coalition parties ‘with popcorn and cola’. “You can’t figure it out,” said Paul Rosenmöller of GroenLinks to VVD, D66 and CDA.
