Farmers' Party (Netherlands)

The Farmers' Party (in Dutch: Boerenpartij, BP) was a Dutch agrarian political party, with a strong conservative outlook and a populist appeal. The BP was the first anti-establishment party elected into the Dutch House of Representatives after the Second World War.

History

Foundation

The precise foundation date of the BP is not known. In 1958 in several Gelderland municipalities "Free Farmers" lists contested in municipal elections. In 1959 the Farmers' Party officially applied at the Kiesraad to participate in the 1959 elections, although the party was unable to win a seat. The founder of the party was Hendrik Koekoek, the chair and founder of the Association for Freedom for Agricultural Business, also known as the "Free Farmers". The organization resisted increasing government intervention and the institutionalization of farming. These also became important issues for the Farmers' Party.

1963-1981

In the elections of 1963 the Farmers' Party won three seats in the House of Representatives. The party had gained considerable attention when the police had forcibly seized farms whose owners had not paid their taxes. Koekoek, the party's leader, came from the same region and acted as spokesperson for these farmers. With its populist appeal the party had been able to get the support from farmers and non-farmers, even from urban areas. He headed the party's list and became the chairperson of the parliamentary party. In 1966 the party won two seats in the Senate.