Dutch pro-farmers party wins big in provincial elections | Politico EU |

Result calls into question premier Mark Rutte's ability to implement harsh policies to cut nitrogen emissions from farms.

[Note from Oui: Rutte & Co. allowed the environment evolve into a crisis because he sat on his hands for over a decade. Ultimately after numerous court actions, Royal Dutch Shell and Dutch government were told the EU regulations on emissions had to be met. Rutte usually gets away by rushing through parliament mandatory legislation hurting small business and in this case especially Dutch farming community. After the US the world's largest exporter of agricultural products.

Opposition parties urge the nationalization of public utilities such as the energy sector. Free market led to monopolies hurting consumers as corporations took advantage with exceptional profits. The very modern greenhouse sector is hurting badly after the gas contracts with Russia fell through.]

The farmer-friendly FarmerCitizenMovement (BBB) landed a major victory in Wednesday's Dutch provincial elections, which determine the composition of the Senate. (Just as important the executive in all twelve provinces to run daily local affairs for city development, nature and agriculture)

BBB -- which had no representative in the Senate before last night's election -- is set to win 15 out of 75 seats, becoming the largest force in the Parliament's high chamber (tied with a Labor-Green coalition), ahead of VVD's 10 seats, according to exit polls published by Dutch newswire ANP on Thursday morning.

It is major blow to Rutte's ruling coalition -- made up of VVD, the liberal Democrats 66, the conservative Christian Democratic Appeal and the Christian Union -- which lost eight of its 32 seats.

"People, what the fuck happened?" said party leader Caroline van der Plas in an ecstatic victory speech Wednesday night.

The atmosphere was a lot less joyful at the VVD's election night event, where Rutte acknowledged the results were "not what [he] wanted," but said the stability of his Cabinet was not called into question. ⁉️

The elections turned into a referendum on Rutte's rule, with 60 percent of voters saying they wanted to express their views on the government by voting -- and 46 percent said they disapproved with its policies, according to an online poll from Ipsos published by public broadcaster NOS on Wednesday evening. Election turnout was 57.5 percent.

'Sapere aude'

Netherlands, regional parliament and water board elections today:

➤ Eligible voters: 13.3 million
➤ Polling stations open: 7:30 - 21:00 (CET)
➤Note: the new regional parliaments will elect members of the Dutch Senate on 30 May #NederlandKiest #verkiezingen15maart #PS2023 pic.twitter.com/bo8gm2lHy8

— Europe Elects (@EuropeElects) March 15, 2023

'Sapere aude'

Watch the ECB press conference live: President Christine @Lagarde explains today's monetary policy decisions [_link]

— European Central Bank (@ecb) March 16, 2023

'Sapere aude'

.@ECB President @Lagarde's statement opens in a well-crafted and careful manner:
The need for price stability is emphasized due to inflation that's "too high for too long;"
Financial instability warrants "monitoring of market tensions" and readiness to act; and
Not an either/or [_link]

— Mohamed A. El-Erian (@elerianm) March 16, 2023

'Sapere aude'

The BBB's 'monster win' in the provincial elections has left the coalition 'battered and bruised' but the will the true victim be the climate? What the papers say. [_link]

— DutchNews.NL (@DutchNewsNL) March 16, 2023

'Sapere aude'

BBB the biggest party in all provinces; A clear signal from the voters, Dutch PM says [_link]

— NL Times (@NL_Times) March 17, 2023

'Sapere aude'

Newspaper article 15 December 1990 ..

Wopke Hoekstra heeft nog wat meer tijd nodig met stikstofdossier dat al in 1990 op tafel lag.
(Via @isgoedhoor ) pic.twitter.com/wQ4aTjDUVa

— Tom Kreling (@TomKreling) August 19, 2022

'Sapere aude'

Netherlands: after Wednesday's regional elections, the Rutte IV government will struggle to win a majority in the Senate.

Do you want to learn why? Read our article written in the prelude to Wednesday's regional elections: [_link]

— Europe Elects (@EuropeElects) March 19, 2023

'Sapere aude'

Municipalities want Cabinet to raise minimum wage, welfare benefits [_link]

— NL Times (@NL_Times) March 29, 2023

'Sapere aude'

Netherlands launches free meal at school program for struggling families [_link]

— NL Times (@NL_Times) March 29, 2023

'Sapere aude'

Former health minister during the Corona pandemic vaccination for young adults ... take Janssen ahead of partying and dancing ... now responsible to build 100,000 new homes every year for ten years.

National gov't to use state-owned land to fight housing shortage, nitrogen issues [_link]

— NL Times (@NL_Times) March 29, 2023

'Sapere aude'

Farmers Protest Coalition thrashes all leading parties in polls ... Green Party Sigrid Kaag lost 50% as did Hoekstra with CDA.

Politieke Barometer maart 2023 @IpsosNL/@EenVandaag

VVD 27
D66 12
PVV 12
CDA 7
SP 7
PVDA 12
GL 11
FVD 4
PVDD 8
CU 4
VOLT 4
JA21 6
SGP 3
DENK 3
50P 1
BBB 28
BIJ1 1

24-27 maart, n=1005

Meer hier 👇[_link] pic.twitter.com/ZH3MX9i3de

— Politieke Barometer (@Politieke_B) March 28, 2023

BBB rises sharply in seat poll of the House of Representatives and equals VVD: D66 and CDA halved

'Sapere aude'

Since 2014, Mark Rutte himself has been a leading figure in Europe to antagonize Russia. A strong voice together with the UK, US, Poland, Baltics and the Nordic states to extend NATO into the Ukraine. Earned a NATO unit to be located in The Netherlands ... during the Cold War The Netherlands headed UN Justice and Peace Institutions, under rightwing politics of the VVD no more.

'Sapere aude'

Cabinet crisis talks: Nitrogen policy paused to prevent CDA from quitting coalition [_link]

— NL Times (@NL_Times) March 31, 2023

New general election would hurt all parties of the coalition, thus Rutte is buying time in the hope public opinion turns in his favor.

'Sapere aude'

Rutte die als haas wegrent bij kritische vragen, "SIGRID!" roepend, Kaag die nu ineens wel wil luisteren om regeerakkoord open te breken, Hoekstra die eerst wil wachten wat uit provincieakkoorden komt. NL is niet stuurloos door 20 partijen. NL is stuurloos door 4 partijen. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/gejsTfyP8z

— Caroline van der Plas (@lientje1967) March 31, 2023

'Sapere aude'

EU-toppoliticus Manfred Weber noemt de stikstofbrief van Eurocommissaris Virginijus Sinkevičius (Milieu) ,,een blunder van jewelste."[_link]

— De Telegraaf (@telegraaf) March 31, 2023

Translation:
EU top politician Manfred Weber calls the nitrogen letter from European Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius (Environment) "a huge blunder."

'Sapere aude'

Diederik Samsom advised the Netherlands on behalf of the European Commission to force buy out of farmers

Diederik Samsom has advised the Netherlands on behalf of the European Commission to also tackle the legal nitrogen crisis with forced buy-out of farmers.

Dutch TV NOS and Follow the Money report this on the basis of documents. It is a conversation report of a meeting between Samsom and top officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and Nature. The former PvdA leader spoke to the Dutch delegation in his role as the right-hand man of European Commissioner Frans Timmermans, also a former Labour minister (PvdA).

'Sapere aude'

Netherlands, Peil poll:

Seat projection

BBB-*: 36 (+3)
VVD-RE: 18 (-1)
GL-G/EFA: 15
PvdA-S&D: 12
D66-RE: 10 (+1)
PVV→ID: 9
PvdD-LEFT: 9
SP→LEFT: 7
CDA-EPP: 6 (-1)
...

+/− vs. 23-24 Mar. 2023

Fieldwork: 31 Mar.-1 Apr. 2023
Sample size: N/A
➤ [_link] pic.twitter.com/h2UThFqIRs

— Europe Elects (@EuropeElects) April 2, 2023

"Scalping" the coalition parties ... no more room to govern ... end of the road is near.

'Sapere aude'

Cabinet crisis talks: Nitrogen policy paused to prevent CDA from quitting coalition [_link]

— NL Times (@NL_Times) March 31, 2023

'Sapere aude'