Caroline van der Plas steps down as BBB Leader, Henk Vermeer takes over

The BBB has announced that Caroline van der Plas is resigning as both party leader and parliamentary leader. Henk Vermeer, also an MP, will take over her leadership roles, while Van der Plas will continue to serve in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament.

The party said that Van der Plas had decided last summer not to seek the lead candidate position in future elections. “Free from the heavy responsibilities of party leadership, I can more strongly represent the voice of the countryside,” she said in anticipation of the new Cabinet. The BBB remains firmly opposed to the agricultural policies of the coalition formed by D66, VVD, and CDA.

Henk Vermeer, a co-founder of the BBB and close ally of Van der Plas, supported her during key moments such as the coalition talks for the Cabinet involving PVV, VVD, and NSC.

Caroline van der Plas first entered the Tweede Kamer in 2021 with the BBB as a one-person faction. The party emphasizes issues like agriculture and nitrogen policy. Its strong performance in the 2023 provincial elections led to a sizeable presence in the Senate.

Following its involvement in the Cabinet, the BBB’s support among voters gradually waned. In the latest elections for the Tweede Kamer, the party secured four seats.

Over the past few years, discontent has grown within the BBB among both party members and lawmakers over its policy direction, especially concerning nitrogen and agricultural matters. In certain provinces, multiple members left the party, feeling that it had let down its supporters, particularly farmers, or failed to take a firm position. Previously, BBB MP Lilian Helder had resigned, citing disagreements with Van der Plas and the party’s course.

Following the 2025 elections, Henk Vermeer, ranked third on the BBB candidate list, took on a key role as the party’s campaign leader. He had already held a prominent position within the party prior to the elections, acting as spokesperson on various policy areas and supporting Van der Plas during the 2023–2024 Cabinet negotiations.

Provincial BBB politicians say they are sorry to see Van der Plas step down, but express understanding for her decision. They also commend her for successfully building the party from scratch. “She has done an enormous amount for the party,” said Ans Oude Luttikhuis, BBB group leader in the Provincial Council of Utrecht. “We lost three seats in the most recent national elections, but we remain a significant presence nationwide.”

Oude Luttikhuis said she understands Van der Plas’s decision to step back. “The job is extremely demanding. Not necessarily because of the policy substance, but because of what politicians are exposed to these days. And Caroline is someone who feels things deeply.”

Rob Jetten, leader of D66 and the incoming prime minister, praised Caroline van der Plas for having “built a new party from the ground up.”

D66 and the BBB frequently found themselves on opposite sides of key policy debates, particularly over nitrogen regulations. Jetten acknowledged those differences, saying, “We often clashed in substantive discussions on a range of issues. But on a personal level, we have always had a good relationship.”