In Belgium, politics is divided by the nitrogen crisis. For us, the tough dossier plays a major role during the campaign for the provincial state elections, next Wednesday. A political crisis is looming. With our southern neighbors, the time has already come: nitrogen is a fissile fungus in the Flemish government. Tomorrow a knot must finally be tied, otherwise a government crisis threatens.
If there is no nitrogen agreement in Flanders, the same thing threatens as in the Netherlands: a permit stop for, among other things, the construction of new homes. Our country is a frightening example for the Flemings. But due to the political division, it may become a reality.
In Belgium, the various federal states are dealing with the nitrogen crisis. In Flanders, the Flemish government. It consists of three parties: the N-VA (Flemish nationalists), The Open Vld and CD&V.
And just like in the Dutch government, in the Flemish government the Christian Democrats have a lot of trouble with tough measures to reduce nitrogen. Such as the mandatory closure of livestock and manure farms, as early as 2025.
The Flemish Christian Democrats also traditionally have a large following among the farmers. And that’S why CD&V throws the ass against the crib. The proposal of the Flemish government, of which CD&V itself is a part, is unacceptable to the Christian Democrats: “the dossier as it stands now offers too little perspective for young farmers. Many agricultural families are in trouble and we want a future for them,” says Deputy Minister-president Hilde Crevits of CD & V.
CD & V feels pressured by the farmers protests, just like their Dutch colleagues from the CDA. Last Friday, thousands of Flemish farmers drove tractors through Brussels.
According to the farmer union, more than 20,000 objections have been submitted. “We will continue to strive for a liveable agricultural and horticultural sector and future prospects for young farmers and will use all means to defend their interests,” says Chairman lode Ceyssens of the Farmers ‘ Union.
