Dutch livestock farmers have totally lost their faith in the government, and 68% would vote for new party BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB) if there was a general election tomorrow, the Volkskrant reported on Thursday.

Just 4% would vote for the Christian Democrats, the traditional farmers and rural community party, research by I&O has found. Other polls also show support for the CDA, which has 15 MPs at present, has collapsed in recent months.

In total, 981 livestock farmers took part in the poll. The aim was to establish farmers’ main concerns and what policies they would like to see from the next government.

Just 5% said they had confidence in the farm ministry and 9% support farm minister Carola Schouten, who represents minor Christian party ChristenUnie.

‘Livestock farms feel they are not being listened to by the government,’ researcher Peter Kanne told the paper. ‘They have the feeling that they have done what is asked of them for years, they have innovated and changed their working practices to reflect the wishes of The Hague and Brussels, but that it is never enough.’

Unfair

In particular, a large group of farmers say the sector is being unfairly hit by measures to reduce climate change and nitrogen-based pollution.

They have most confidence in the radical farmers association Farmers Defence Force but even that group, which led the tractor protests in The Hague, can only count on 48% support. A further 41% back traditional farming organisation LTO.

The research also shows that three-quarters of farmers think the majority of the population are behind their protests, but in reality the figures is only 38%. And half the population supports cutting the size of livestock farms, compared with just 12% of farmers, the Volkskrant said.

The CDA was formed in 1977 when three smaller Catholic and Protestant parties merged. It has been part of all but three coalition governments since then and spawned three prime ministers. At its height, under Ruud Lubbers in the 1980s, the party won 54 out of 150 seats in two successive elections.