Investigation supports complaints against former parliament president Khadija Arib

The main findings of the investigation into the conduct of the former president of the Tweede Kamer Khadija Arib were published on Tuesday, AD reported. The Tweede Kamer executive board determined from the investigation that started a year ago that Arib was responsible for "a socially unsafe work environment" when she was president of the Tweede Kamer.

Arib served as the President of the Tweede Kamer from 2016 to 2021. In September 2022, it leaked that the executive board was investigating allegations of transgressive behavior against her based on two anonymous letters. Out of anger and frustration, Arib immediately resigned as a Member of Parliament. The investigation was initiated by the current president Vera Bergkamp.

The report published on Tuesday revealed that the two anonymous letters described 17 incidents affecting 24 civil servants and one external individual. 16 incidents have been corroborated by additional research and interviews with 19 civil servants.

Arib is believed to have excluded civil servants from discussions, ignored critical civil servants, and interfered in decisions regarding civil servants over which she formally had no authority. Out of 19 interviewees, 18 recognized at least some of the described situations. Arib reportedly spoke loudly at times, which nine of them claimed caused them emotional distress. On the other hand, 15 interviewees described Arib as a "very competent" parliament president who was "sometimes attentive and engaged."

The investigation determined that the claims made in the anonymous letter were not entirely true. There was no substantiated proof that civil servants resigned or were dismissed because of Arib's misconduct. However, it was established that certain officials were reassigned to alternate roles following her explicit request.

After her resignation in October 2022, Arib criticized the investigation for its reliance on anonymous sources and accused Bergkamp of betrayal, calling it a “political stab in the back.” She has always denied the accusations and started legal proceedings last summer to postpone the publication of the report. Arib chose not to review the anonymous complaints presented to her and did not participate in the investigation.

In a reaction on Tuesday, Khadija Arib called the investigation "an expression of underhanded politics" that was initiated to damage her person. She added that she did not wish to respond to the accusations as those involved were anonymous. "The anonymity facilitates the evasion of accountability and responsibility. The anonymous accusations have become tools to politically disable elected representatives or to make their work impossible," she said.

Vera Bergkamp said in a reaction on Tuesday that staff who worked in an unsafe environment under Khadija Arib should receive aftercare if needed. She also stated that she believes the investigation was conducted carefully, as Arib "had every opportunity" to present her side of the story. "She chose not to do so in the investigation," ANP reported.