Dutch government under fire in debate over emissions cuts

By MIKE CORDER
Associated Press

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte says that members of his Cabinet have enough confidence in each other to keep working together as Dutch lawmakers broke into their summer vacations to debate the government’s contentious plans to slash nitrogen emissions that have sparked angry protests by farmers. Tuesday’s debate was called after Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said that the government’s goal of reducing emissions by 50% by 2030 was not set in stone. Hoekstra’s comments caused friction in Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s four-party ruling Cabinet and led to lawmakers backing a call for a debate that will be the first major test of unity since the coalition took office in January after the country’s longest ever government formation negotiations.