The parliamentary debate on the nitrogen crisis will take place on Wednesday rather than Tuesday as planned, because prime minister Mark Rutte is ill.

MPs want to debate the impact of last month’s provincial council elections with the government following the success of pro-farmers party BBB, which is the biggest in all 12 provinces.

The results have worsened the divisions between the four cabinet parties, with the CDA saying it wants to rethink the government’s commitment to halving nitrogen emissions by 2030.

But ministers have agreed that they will wait until coalitions in all 12 provinces have been finalised before pressing ahead with any more measures to cut nitrogen compound pollution.

The provincial administrations will play a pivotal role in implementing measures such as the buyout of farmers – seen as a key way of reducing pollution close to environmentally-sensitive areas.