The Dutch coalition government survived a no-confidence vote on April 5. But its problems are far from over – with pressure from the farmers' movement causing tensions inside the coalition. The pro-farmers' BBB party made a breakthrough in the provincial elections in March, rattling the political establishment. Farmers are calling for a review of the government's policy on reducing nitrogen emissions, saying the cuts could ruin their livelihoods. Talking Europe speaks to the Dutch Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Sigrid Kaag about the latest turmoil, but also about the upcoming state visit to the Netherlands by French President Emmanuel Macron.
The Dutch agricultural industry is an important one, and the Netherlands is Europe's biggest meat exporter. On the farmers' movement and nitrogen emissions, Kaag says: "There’s a real issue in our country – the nitrogen crisis. If we don't solve it appropriately, in a way that's aligned with rules and legislation, then the economy will become stuck; farmers will not have the prospect of a sustainable future, and they're entitled to a sustainable way of farming and a sustainable way of life. Nature will be impacted, and it won't be restored to where it ought to be."
