Video: Asscher prepares Social Affairs office for new Minister
On Thursday the Ministers in the Rutte II government hand over their tasks to their successors. Some decided to mark the occasion. Former deputy prime minister and Social Affairs minister Lodewijk Asscher (PvdA), for example, posted a video on Twitter of his last day at work.
In the video Asscher prepares the office for his successor Wouter Koolmees (D66). He starts by changing the WiFi password to "GelukkigGeenHalbe", or Fortunately No Halbe in English. With that he is referring to VVD chairman Halbe Zijlstra, who has no social portfolio, but was long in the running to become Minister of Social Affairs and Employment, according to AD. Carola Schouten of the ChristenUnie was also in the running. Asscher nods to this fact with a letter he leaves on the table. The typed letter is addressed to "Dear Halbe", with "Carola" and "Wouter" penciled in next to it.
The PvdA leader also replaces a picture of himself and Jeroen Dijsselbloem on his desk, with one of Koolmees and D66 leader Alexander Pechtold. He puts a picture of PvdA celebrity Joop den Uyl in a prominent spot in the office, with the instruction to keep an eye on things. And finally, he schedules some meetings for Koolmees. To rub it in that the new government hasn't yet reached an agreement with the social partners, Asscher instructs the secretary to schedule a meeting with union FNV, every day at 8:30 a.m. for the next year. "For one hour. Every day."
The VVD also posted a video to Twitter. The video features a fictional WhatsApp group showing the VVD ministers in the Rutte II government leaving the group. After that, VVD leader and Prime Minister Mark Rutte adds the newcomers one by one. And Roxeanne Hazes. "Oops, sorry", Rutte apologizes with a shocked emoji. Rutte asks the new Ministers whether they're available at 11:20. There's some confusion until he reminds them, that that's when they're presented to the King. Then there's a quick discussion about what they'll wear. Eric Wiebes sends a pic of a Mickey Mouse tie, to which Zijlstra responds with a firm "No".
