Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
Reminders about social distancing and face mask use at a public transportation stop in Nieuwegein. July 2020
Reminders about social distancing and face mask use at a public transportation stop in Nieuwegein. July 2020 - Credit: Tom Balfoort / Pexels - License: Pexels
Health
Politics
Coronavirus
Covid-19
Eerste Kamer
coronavirus restrictions
Tuesday, 17 May 2022 - 16:00
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Senate to reject extension of temporary Covid measures law

The Dutch Senate is going to vote against a new extension of the temporary coronavirus law. This means that the Cabinet will no longer have a legal basis for announcing restrictive measures to tackle the pandemic, such as making face masks obligatory in different settings, or requiring people to maintain physical distance.

Forty of the 75 senators have already announced their intention to vote against the fifth extension of the temporary law measure during the Tuesday afternoon debate on the subject. The senators will cast their votes on Tuesday evening. The opponents said they see no need for the law anymore, now that the number of coronavirus infections is not particularly high. According to the RIVM, about 1,200 people tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus each of the past seven days.

The number of verified coronavirus infections have been especially low in the Netherlands since the government began encouraging people to use self-testing at home instead of official tests organized by the GGD health services. The government also stopped advising people to confirm a positive self-test with the GGD.

The senators from the parties that joined in a coalition to form the Cabinet are also extremely critical of a new extension to the law. However, they would rather have a law in place should there be a resurgence of the coronavirus new measures become necessary again. "I would rather have a temporary law, instead of falling back on emergency ordinances or an emergency law," said Maarten Verkerk of the ChristenUnie.

The entire Senate (Eerste Kamer) believes that the Cabinet should have started revising public health regulations much sooner. This law must structurally regulate which restrictive measures the Cabinet may take in the event of a pandemic, such as coronavirus.

Health Minister Ernst Kuipers will introduce an amendment to the Wpg, the public health act, before 1 September. Only after the amendment of the law has been ratified by both the Tweede Kamer and the Eerste Kamer, will there again be a legal basis for the Cabinet to order restrictive measures. It will in instead have to resort to the use of emergency ordinances and laws, which must then be urgently addressed by both Houses of Parliament.

The coalition parties do not have majority support in the Senate.

Reporting by ANP and NL Times

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • Hundreds gather in Dam Square to protest for abortion rights
  • Two men arrested for violence during farmers' protest; police publish protesters' photos
  • Meppel accident victims all come from De Wolden, police confirm
  • Farmers block entrance of ice cream factory run by D66 MP and father
  • Four minors arrested after Oost-Souburg stabbing of 17-year-old boy
  • Dangerous farmers' protests may have been organized beforehand, police say

Top stories

  • Dutch Central Bank and province of Noord-Holland apologize for historic roles in slavery
  • Schiphol and Eindhoven Airport prepare for farmer protests, traffic blockades
  • Fmr. Dutch national football coach accuses colleagues of rape
  • Five young children seriously injured in head-on crash
  • Many new rules in effect from July 1 in the Netherlands
  • Cabinet wants to ban protests in front of politicians’ homes after farmers incidents

© 2012-2022, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content