“A necessary statement”, CDA party chairman Pieter Heerma calls the statements made by his party leader Wopke Hoekstra last Friday in the AD. Hoekstra stated in the interview that, as far as he is concerned, the agreements in the coalition agreement to halve nitrogen emissions by 2030 are under discussion. He also no longer wants to lay down in law how much nitrogen a nature reserve can handle – the so-called critical deposition values (kdw).
According to Heerma, it is the responsibility of politicians ‘to set the course’ and ‘to walk ahead of the troops’. ‘But also to see if people can still follow it’. And that is what Hoekstra has done, according to Heerma. Yes, nitrogen emissions must be reduced and nature must be restored, but according to the CDA, the nitrogen file is deadlocked.
deadlock
By allowing ‘in some areas’ that the halving may also be achieved in 2035, Heerma expects to be able to break the deadlock. The CDA also hopes to hear that message from nitrogen mediator Johan Remkes when he has finished his conversations.
Although the statements have put relations in the coalition under high tension, the CDA clearly has no intention of withdrawing the words. On Friday, Prime Minister Mark Rutte (VVD) was rarely critical of the actions of Hoekstra, one of his cabinet deputy prime ministers. D66 also reacted with surprise.
After a difficult formation, the relationship with Hoekstra, who continued to categorically exclude talks with preferred partners from D66, PvdA and GroenLinks, can be called downright cold. Deputy Prime Minister Sigrid Kaag (D66) is not present at the debate herself, because she became unwell earlier in the morning and had to go to hospital.
sense of responsibility
The fact that the CDA does not intend to slow down does not bode well, according to the opposition. By discussing ‘2030’ and wanting to see this reflected in Remkes’ findings, the CDA is leaving ‘a sword of Damocles’ hanging over the cabinet, according to Klaver.
According to Klaver, Hoekstra is driving straight against the government’s plans like a wrong-way driver, precisely now that the government wants to tackle the nitrogen problem in line with the court rulings. ‘You are threatening a government crisis in times when people can no longer pay their bills and we are dealing with a purchasing power crisis,’ says Klaver. “We can’t use a cabinet arguing with each other.”
Geert Wilders (PVV) agrees. ‘This cabinet is arguing and foaming on the street. There is leaking from the Council of Ministers’, says Wilders. “You can’t rule a country if you don’t trust each other.”
The PvdA is also concerned about the effectiveness of the cabinet, while the country is suffering from an energy crisis, a housing crisis and a purchasing power crisis. In order to put pressure on the coalition through the media in these times, according to party chairman Attje Kuiken, the CDA has little sense of responsibility. ‘You behave as an opposition party without responsibility. But the CDA controls. Why does the CDA choose to add another cabinet crisis through the newspaper after all the crises?’
Together with the PvdA, GroenLinks will submit a motion that calls on the government to continue to adhere to its own agreements that nitrogen emissions must be halved by 2030.
This message will be updated during the debate.