Timmermans sees VVD increasingly moving towards PVV, "fuels division in this country"

GroenLinks-PvdA leader Frans Timmermans sees the VVD increasingly moving towards the PVV. The latest example of this, according to him, is the speech by VVD party leader Dilan Yeşilgöz in which she said she wanted to restrict freedom of education and the role of religion in society.

"I do not understand why the VVD, with the history of that party, is so enchanted by an agenda that will only fuel division in this country. That does not make it possible to bridge the differences. That radical rejection of religion is so contrary to the history of our country," said Timmermans at a political members' council of the PvdA in Zwolle.

He also sees no integration problem in the Netherlands. According to him, disintegration is the problem. "What we no longer have is contact between theoretically and practically trained people, what we no longer have is understanding between cities and countryside, what we no longer have is understanding between different population groups. We have lost that."

The discussion about integration flared up after the recent riots in Amsterdam in which fans of the Israeli football club Maccabi Tel Aviv were hounded. For example, VVD State Secretary Jurgen Nobel (Integration) concluded after that event that Islamic youth "to a large extent do not subscribe to our Dutch norms and values".

Timmermans also does not understand why NSC, as a party that stands up for the rule of law, is still in the Cabinet. The Cabinet has "publicly used words that are discriminatory to say the least". According to him, "this country could go under if we do not put a stop to the disintegration that is being stimulated by the coalition parties and the Cabinet".

Jetten criticizes coalition's lack of decisiveness and polarization

D66 leader Rob Jetten did not shy away from sharply criticizing the government. During the D66 congress, he pointed out that there was a lack of decisiveness of the Cabinet of PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB. "Take people's concerns seriously for once. Get to work, or get out of the way," he said at the meeting in Den Bosch.

The VVD hopes to finally be able to settle matters with the PVV that had not been possible before. But according to Jetten, that will come to nothing. "The only thing you settle with the PVV is chaos and division. Pieter Omtzigt's NSC stands by and watches. It is something to be ashamed of, so I say to Wilders, Yeşilgöz, and Omtzigt: the problems of the Netherlands will not wait until you have stopped arguing."

The D66 leader sees the cabinet rushing from "crisis to crisis, from commotion to commotion, from chaos to even more chaos". "Each and every one of these are methods to conceal poor performance and incompetence. If I were Wilders, I would lie awake at night thinking about it, because absolutely nothing has been achieved yet. In his words: a big zero."

The reaction of the coalition and the cabinet after the riots in Amsterdam cannot count on a good word from Jetten. He saw politicians stoking the fire and escalating the matter instead of connecting. "The Netherlands is hungry for political leaders who do not polarize, but inspire. Who do not divide, but bring people together."