Timmermans lashes out at Jetten: "nothing has been done for the climate"

Frans Timmermans, list leader of the GroenLinks-PvdA, fiercely attacked his rival Rob Jetten from the D66 on WNL on Sunday. As climate minister, he was part of a Cabinet that "simply did nothing" for the climate, said Timmermans.

"We have been standing still in the Netherlands for a thousand days," said Timmermans. Although the outgoing Cabinet had significantly tightened the climate targets in the coalition agreement, little had come of it in practice because the governing parties had "argued a lot but not taken any steps forward".

The GroenLinks-PvdA leader also made it clear that he is not in favor of building a new nuclear power plant in the Netherlands. He did not shy away from criticism and accused the parties that are in favor of nuclear energy of not providing money for the construction of a nuclear power plant in their election manifestos.

Due to disagreements, it took a long time before additional measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions were put on the table. Last spring, the Cabinet put together a package that, with any luck, will bring the 2030 climate target within reach, according to reports.

On the TV program Buitenhof, Jetten called Timmermans' statements "small and childish". He said that "enormous steps have been taken" to bring the climate goals further within reach. In a message on

A week and a half before the parliamentary elections, GroenLinks-PvdA is a few seats behind Dilan Yeşilgöz's VVD and Pieter Omtzigt's NSC in the polls. This difference is still "quite bridgeable", he says. "The elections in the Netherlands will only be decided in the final days," he said.