Friday, 21 March 2014 - 14:53
Cabinet denounces Wilders anti-Moroccan remarks
The entirety of the cabinet has voiced their disapproval over Geert Wilders' now infamous remarks against the population of Morocco, in what Lodewijk Asscher calls a "sad chapter in political history."
Vice-Prime Minister Asscher (PvdA), after the ministerial council meeting that all ministers are speaking out against said comments, which Asscher himself claims to have seen "with disgust."
"He has turned an entire group against another group of Dutch people. That is why we disapprove of this so strongly", the minister said. It is now up to the Public Prosecution Authority (OM) to take the matter to the next judicial step.
Asscher emphasizes that everyone who saw the speech that Wilders made on election evening, should know that "the rule of law protects them." He says that it is not a politician's job or task to "poison" society.
Various members of the cabinet already judges the comments. Minister for Justice Ivo Opstelten (VVD), hopes that Wilders will retract his comments. Prime Minister Rutte (VVD) has announced that any collaboration with the PVV is now impossible.
Fraction leaders of the PvdA and SP, Diederik Samsom and Emile Roemer, respectively, went a step further to say that Wilders' comments are pure "hate-breeding."