Now that the BBB has swept the board, what happens next and what do they want?

Agriculture advocate BoerBurgerBeweging’s rise in local elections raises questions about its potential impact on the government’s strategy to combat nitrogen pollution, one of the campaign’s major issues. BBB is now confirmed to be the biggest party in all 12 of his states, including Utrecht, where the party was in a neck-and-neck competition with his GroenLinks.

The BBB seems likely to win 16 seats when state legislators vote in May’s Senate elections, while the combined GroenLinks and PvdA will get 15. Supporting GroenLinks and her PvdA, he sidelines the BBB when it comes to controversial issues such as tackling emissions issues.

Since the State Council ruled in 2019 that the government would be bound by restrictions, the state has been unable to issue environmental permits for large-scale projects such as housing developments, highways and port facilities.

But agriculture also plays a large part in the problem, with BBB leader Caroline van der Plath and her local party leaders arguing that forced farm takeovers, as the government argues, are not possible. I have repeatedly stated that it is absolutely not an option.

The BBB also opposes government pledges to reduce nitrogen emissions by 50% by 2030.

what next?

Both of these approaches could lead the party into conflict with the Dutch legal system and the EU.European expert Rob Boudewijn told BNR radio, “From a national perspective, we have reached agreement to halve nitrogen emissions by 2030.” Brussels could end up forcing the Netherlands [to take action].

The BBB has become known as a very unreliable partner in the EU and does nothing for the image of the Netherlands. Nevertheless, the BBB is now taking advantage of mass protests in local communities and will have to put on a constructive face in order to achieve anything. This is the nature of Dutch coalition politics.

Work will begin to bring together the 12 state governments, which will be a difficult task given the number of political parties. needs a partner.

Volkskrant points out that unlike four years ago when the Forum voor Democratie was the biggest winner, most parties have not ruled out forming a coalition with the BBB. For example, in both the cantons of Drenthe and Overijssel, the combination of BBB, VVD and CDA is sufficient to form a majority, but that creates a major headache for the government, pitting the cantons and the central government against each other on the nitrogen issue. It will be.

more than nitrogen

Van der Plas also claims her party is about more than nitrogen. For example, she said she sided with the VVD and she sided with the CDA that refugees should stay “in the community” and go through a civil integration process before being assigned housing.

The party’s website states: “Immigrants who do not come from conflict zones or whose livelihoods and families are not under serious threat must be able to prove that they have permanent work and accommodation in the Netherlands. It will not be.”

“If they can prove this and have a good command of the Dutch language, they will be recognized.

housing

When it comes to housing, the Communist Party wants to see more affordable housing and is making moves to encourage high-income people to move away from public housing. It supports the development of skyscrapers in urban areas and opposes building on “good farmland.”

The party supports higher taxes on short-haul flights, opposes offshore wind farms, and believes it will stimulate European train travel with “improved rail networks and affordable ticket prices.”

It also supports measures to support local schools, basic subsidies for all students, a single health insurance system for all, and free sanitary products for all women. increase.

No chance of Nexit, but the BBB says the European Union should be a common market, not a superpower. The party has registered a European version of its name in anticipation of next year’s EU elections. doing.

discrimination

A more familiar policy is the call for a more consistent policy on television subtitling. The website says, “Television conversations with country folk (Limbergers, Tuckers, Frisians, Bravanders, etc.) are often subtitled as standard.” “BBB considers this discriminatory.

The BBB wants to subtitle all dialects used on TV in rural and suburban areas where standard Dutch is not spoken. This includes if someone speaks with an Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, Goose or Utrecht accent. Same rules for everyone.

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Photo credit: Dutch News