According to De Krom, permits are no longer being issued in Brabant due to the nitrogen crisis. ‘Mrs Van der Plas seems reasonably reasonable. Now it’s her turn. She now she has to contribute to the solutions.’ The Netherlands is facing a major challenge regarding greening on the one hand and infrastructure management and issuing sufficient permits on the other. She’s going too slow now, and if we don’t speed up, we’re going to get stuck there.’
De Krom, now president of the Dutch Chemical Industry Association, was state secretary for social affairs and employment in Rutte’s first cabinet from 2010 to 2012. His party’s defeat in the provincial elections hit hard. “I’ve been out a long time, but the VVD is still my party.”