Search is on for new national Ombudsman

The Second Chamber is appointing a new committee to look for a National Ombudsman.  The National Ombudsman defends citizens who have a complaint about the government. All political groups must provide a member for the committee, Second Chamber chariman Anouchka van Miltenburg told the Second Chamber. The committee is expected to get started next Tuesday. The temporary committee will first consider a profile sketch to attract capable candidates, De Telegraaf reports. The post once again became vacant just before the summer when Guido van Woerkom withdrew shortly after his appointment. The former chief executive of the ANWB was discredited by an earlier statement about Moroccans and a large departure bonus. His nomination was prepared by a small group of Parliament Members from the committee that deals with Internal Affairs. After his nomination political uproar arose when Moroccan organizations showed their dislike of Van Woerkom. The whole process will now start again. All political groups will now be able to have a say, after which the Second Chamber will approve the nomination. According to Van Miltenburg they plan to have a new Ombudsman by the end of the year. The previous Ombudsman, Alex Breninkmeijer, has already left and will temporarily be replaced by Frank van Dooren.