Gov't not "visibly solving Netherlands' core problems": Omtzigt as he leaves parliament
Voters can’t see that the government and others in national politics are focused on “solving the Netherlands’ core problems,” former NSC leader Pieter Omtzigt said at a press conference on his last day in parliament. “The place is on fire” if a Minister won’t sign off on five medals, but problems like handling the benefits scandal and “chaos at the UWV” continue unabated, he said, NOS reports.
Omtzigt said that he has increasingly become averse to the “poisonous political climate.” Participating in the Schoof I coalition has not been good for his peace of mind, he said. “Coalitions are always complicated, but here people are kept a little less whole.” As an example, Omtzigt mentioned telling the other negotiators at the cabinet formation table about being in a car accident. “It didn’t take two hours before the media were on the phone.”
These factors contributed to his decision to leave national politics, stepping down as leader of the party he established just ahead of the 2023 parliamentary elections. Still, Omtzigt would not say he regretted the NSC joining the coalition with the PVV, VVD, and BBB. “I knew it would be difficult, and it has proven to be difficult.”
Omtzigt also said that he “did not get any rest” when he temporarily stepped down to recover from burnout last year. Despite trying to rest and recover, Omtzigt suffered from all the attention and everyone who had an opinion about him.
When asked by a journalist whether his resignation was not a “betrayal” to the voters who put their faith in him and the NSC, Omtzigt responded angrily: “If you do your best and it doesn’t quite work out, someone shouts betrayal. Come on!”
Omtzigt announced that he was leaving politics in mid-April, saying he wanted to put his health first. On Tuesday, he will say goodbye to the Tweede Kamer after almost 22 years as a parliamentarian. The former NSC leader said he doesn’t know what he will do next. “I am now stepping down completely, but I am 51. So I have no idea what else lies ahead of me.”
Nicolien van Vroonhoven has taken over as NSC leader from Omtzigt. On Wednesday, Bram Kouwenhoven will be sworn in as a parliamentarian to take Omtzigt’s seat.
The NSC is facing a near-total collapse in the polls. At the end of April, the Maurice de Hond poll had Omtzigt’s party at only 1 seat. The party won a massive 20 seats in the November 2023 elections.
