During a members’ meeting of the CDA, Iris Bouwers from Zuidwolde told party leader Wopke Hoekstra that the nitrogen policy “has the potential to destroy the party from below.”
Bouwers, who is also a lobbyist for farmers’ organization LTO Nederland in Brussels, wants to take over the company from her parents, but due to the nitrogen problems, she is unable to secure financing. “Don’t do this to our party,” she told Hoekstra. She received a big round of applause, according to the NOS.
About 100 members attended the meeting with party leader Hoekstra, party leader Heerma and MP Boswijk. Regional CDA members there express strong criticism of the nitrogen policy of their party and the cabinet. They find the goals unfeasible and some provincial administrators of the CDA threaten not to implement the policy if there is no more perspective for the farmers.
The critical stories of the members affect Hoekstra enormously, he says in a response. “You give us an insane amount of homework.” MP Boswijk: “We are going to ensure that you have a future, but it will not be easy.”