Cabinet’s nitrogen law does not get support from the opposition

In its current form, the government's nitrogen law cannot count on the support of either the opposition in the Tweede Kamer, or JA21 in the Senate. GroenLinks, PvdA and SP believe that sectors such as industry, mobility and aviation should contribute proportionately to nitrogen reduction. They do not want agriculture alone to ensure that the land is not completely locked up, they explained during an election debate on the TV program Buitenhof.

The law is also no longer good enough for the Partij voor de Dieren, JA21, and the BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB). The PvdD thinks that the law does not go far enough. The parties JA21 and BBB however, think that the law even goes too far.

Without the support of GroenLinks and PvdA, the nitrogen law will go down in the current composition of the Senate. Various polls indicate that the coalition of VVD, D66, CDA, and ChristenUnie will lose a number of seats in the Senate. The four already no longer have a majority there. After May 30, when a new Senate is appointed, they will have to seek the support of various opposition parties even more often.

The government's goal is for agriculture to emit 41 percent less nitrogen, industry 38 percent and mobility 25 percent. The nitrogen law is now in the consultation phase.

GroenLinks wants all three sectors to cut their nitrogen emissions by half by 2030, party leader Jesse Klaver said in Buitenhof. Like GroenLinks, PvdA believes that aviation, industry and mobility should also contribute to reducing nitrogen emissions, Attje Kuiken, PvdA party leader in the Tweede Kamer, added during the debate.

JA21 however, does not want a handbrake for the Netherlands, said list leader for the Senate, Annabel Nanninga. In addition, BBB chairwoman Caroline van der Plas claimed that the BBB"will not sign" the nitrogen law.

If the BBB gets into one or more provincial councils after the provincial council elections, "it remains to be seen" whether the Cabinet's nitrogen policy will be implemented, van der Plas said.