Political reporter Xander Van der Wulp:
Perhaps farmers hope that the uncertainty that they feel can be removed during this debate, but it is already clear in advance that that will not happen. There is a lot of division in the House of Representatives about how the nitrogen problem should be tackled, and the coalition parties do not agree with each other either.
Relations within the coalition are also tense: VVD, CDA and CU are concerned about the impact of the plan, while D66 has been arguing for a significant reduction in livestock for some time. D66 is accused of eagerly tightening the thumbscrews on the farmers. The other three parties are dealing with unrest about the plan among their own supporters.
During the debate, the coalition parties will give each other some room to criticize, as long as the parties continue to endorse the main objective of the nitrogen policy (50 percent reduction by 2030). The four government parties would also have agreed that the measurement methods of the RIVM should not be called into question in the debate, it can be heard behind the scenes.
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