Parliament majority is against debating events that almost led to Cabinet collapse

A parliament majority is against a debate about the events of last Friday, which nearly led to the fall of the Cabinet after NSC State Secretary Nora Achahbar resigned. Opposition parties hoped that the NSC would agree with the request made by Frans Timmermans of GroenLinks-PvdA. But NSC’s interim party leader, Nicolien van Vroonhoven, felt there was no need for a debate. "As far as we are concerned, the matter is over, we can move on," she said.

According to Van Vroonhoven, polarizing views were already sufficiently discussed last week in the debate about the unrest in Amsterdam. Geert Wilders, the leader of coalition partner PVV, agreed with this statement. BBB leader Caroline van der Plas also did not support the request for a debate.

“In my opinion, the prime minister was very clear,” said Roelien Kamminga of the VVD. Prime Minister Dick Schoof denied racism accusations within the Cabinet on Friday after lengthy crisis talks.

“Clearly, they have more knowledge about what was and was not said than the other 146 members of parliament,” said Timmermans about the certainty with which the coalition stood behind these words.

The GroenLinks-PvdA leader, therefore, does not only want a debate but also the publication of the minutes of the Council of Ministers.

Opposition parties ChristenUnie and CDA “reluctantly” went along with the proposal for a debate. “The whole of the Netherlands wants the Cabinet to get to work and that the problems are solved. But last Friday brought doubts when it comes to trust. And it is the custom to then debate about this,” Mirjam Bikker of ChristenUnie said.

Timmermans has requested a roll-call vote on his debate request. But this too led to a majority voting against a debate, with 87 members of parliament voting against the request.