Dutch Farmers Protest Party Wins Victory in Provincial Election

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Facts

  • The upstart Farmer-citizen movement (BBB) is set to become the largest party in the upper house of parliament following Dutch provincial elections on Wednesday.1
  • The BBB party, or BoerBurgerBeweging, soared to national prominence after widespread protests against the government’s climate and environment policies, and it's set to win more Senate seats than PM Mark Rutte’s conservative VVD party.2
  • A first exit poll projected BBB won 15 out of 75 seats in the Senate, which has the power to block legislation agreed upon in the Lower House of parliament. Meanwhile, the VVD is forecast to drop from 12 to 10 seats.3
  • Marking the largest turnout in years, an estimated 57.5% of voters showed up to the election, with the environmentally-focused Greens and center-left Labor Party coalition also winning 15 Senate seats.4
  • The BBB was founded in 2019 by agricultural journalist Caroline van der Plas, and it has already become the Netherlands' third-largest political force. Many of the party’s supporters are protesting Rutte’s plan to halve nitrogen emissions by 2030.5
  • The election results cast doubt on Rutte’s plan to slash nitrogen emissions, and the PM will face difficulties passing legislation through an opposition Senate. The next national elections are scheduled for 2025.6

Sources: 1BBC News, 2CNBC, 3Reuters, 4FOX News, 5Euronews and 6Associated Press.

Narratives

  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Breitbart. This is a big win for the BBB — and the Dutch people in general — which has fought back against globalist tyranny. While the EU shills in the Dutch government tried to destroy Dutch farming and essentially confiscate land illegally, Dutch voters have said “enough is enough” and stood up for their rights, proving that people can still stand together and send a shocking blow to the establishment.
  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Brusselstimes. The Dutch elections are a scary reminder of how conspiracy theories and anti-establishment rhetoric can infect national, and even global, politics. Dutch extremists pedaled dangerous ideas like the “great replacement” theory as well as climate change denial to rally voters. Unfortunately, this type of strategy will likely be echoed in other parts of the world.