The VVD has received the biggest donation to fund its provincial election and other campaigns so far this year, according to an updated review by the home affairs ministry.

Since January 1, political parties have been required by law to report donations of over €10,000 within three days of receiving them and just four reports have been made so far.

The VVD has been given €100,000 by a private donor, the CDA received €10,000 from former minister Onno Ruding and far right party Forum voor Democratie was donated the same amount by a food supplement maker.

Figures for donations in 2022 will only be published at the end of this year, because the old rules – requiring notification of gifts over €4,500 – still applied then.

Figures from 2021, published at the end of last year, show that the Socialist Party received most donations – just over €3 million – but the party requires all elected politicians to donate part of their salaries to the party. The VVD, with almost €2 million was in second place, followed by GroenLinks (€1.75 million) and the CDA (€1.6 million).

Forum voor Democratie received €155,400 from entrepreneur Peter Poot who was embroiled in a legal land battle around Schiphol airport for years, the Volkskrant reported, as well as €250,000 from a businessman based in Hong Kong, which was the biggest individual donation.

Far right party JA21 was given almost €200,000 by property magnate Chris Thünnessen who earlier helped fund Lijst Pim Fortuyn and Rita Verdonk’s Trots op Nederland.

Pro-farmers party BBB was given two minor donations of €5,000 and €9,000 by animal feed companies in 2021.

Last year, party founder Caroline van der Plas told the AD she would send back €100,000 from meat processor Vion if it came, because she was ‘sick’ of insinuations about the party being in the pockets of industry. The party did register €45,000 in kind for graphic design work.