Dutch farmers‘ protests overshadowed by leak of lawmakers’ phone numbers

Farmers’ protests that disputed the failed Agricultural Accord on Thursday were overshadowed by the leaking of phone numbers of lawmakers from the coalition party Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA/EPP).

The Agricultural Accord, which was supposed to offer Dutch farmers a perspective to continue farming sustainably in the future, was axed last week due to insurmountable differences between the cabinet and the country’s largest agricultural association, LTO. Both parties have long been divided on how the country should lower its nitrogen emissions.

The leaked phone numbers were included in a social media post on Wednesday, reading, “Can’t go to The Hague tomorrow[?]… You can increase pressure on the CDA!” It included a photo of Mark van den Oever, leader of Farmers’ Defence Force (FDF) – a farmers’ activist group heavily involved in the resistance against the cabinet’s nitrogen policy.

“Non-stop phone calls and texts. With ‘advice’. And what happens if that advice is not followed. I am not supposed to talk about it due to security reasons. But I am pretty sick of it,” tweeted Eline Vedder (CDA/EPP), one of the leak’s victims.

FDF leader Van den Oever denied having leaked the phone numbers, telling NOS that “this is not ours, we don’t have Twitter. I didn’t post those numbers,” while also stating that he is “not unhappy” about the leak.

The CDA had previously put the cabinet’s deadline of 2030 to reach the agreed nitrogen emission levels into question following the party’s weak showing in the regional elections back in March. In the days leading up to the protest, FDF called CDA to “pull the plug” from the current cabinet.

Vedder and her colleagues received numerous messages of support throughout the political spectrum, which collectively condemned both the leaks and subsequent intimidating messages.

“You can all disagree with each other about things in the Netherlands, but you behave decently and respectfully. You can’t function like that in a civilised country,” Prime Minister Mark Rutte (VVD/Renew) said.

“I just really want Farmers Defence Force to distance itself from this,” Farmer-Citizen Movement (BBB) leader Caroline van der Plas stated in an interview with the TV programme Goedemorgen Nederland.

Despite being featured on the programme, Van der Plas did not attend the farmer’s protests due to FDF not distancing itself from the leak.

Parliamentary debate

The leaked phone numbers added fire to the protests and a parliamentary debate about the failed agreement, which took place simultaneously in The Hague.

Opposition parties slammed the Agricultural Accord as being too vague and accused the cabinet of a lack of urgency.

“With this Agriculture Accord, young farmers have uncertainty,” Caroline van der Plas stated.

“We have known for years that we are heading for a wall,” added GroenLinks (GL/Greens) leader Jesse Klaver, accusing the CDA of “taking the cabinet and country hostage” due to its undecidedness concerning the deadlines for nitrogen in the coalition agreement.

Agriculture Minister Piet Adema (CU/EPP) reasserted the cabinet’s intention to come up with concrete measures while also stating that the agricultural sector’s concerns will be considered despite negotiations falling through.

“There may indeed be measures that are still sour for the agricultural sector, but at the end of the day, it is about the overall package,” Adema stated.

(Benedikt Stöckl | EURACTIV.com)