parliament

Longtime Dutch politician Piet Steenkamp died on Friday at the age of 90. He is credited with founding the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) political party, serving as chairman at the very beginning of its development in 1973 through its formal establishment in 1980.

MP’s from the Tweede Kamer, Lower House of Dutch Parliament, were warned via email about the potential dangers they may face when discussing issues related to asylum in public, according to AD. They were instructed to consult with security experts whenever scheduling an event regarding the topic.

VNL party leader Bram Moszkowicz is calling for the government to implement programs were asylum seekers have to perform manual labour in exchange for being granted refugee status. Moszkowicz, the disbarred former attorney of anti-Islamist Geert Wilders, suggested work programs for refugees like a park, ditch and garden cleaning service, reported AD.

Sources speaking anonymously to newspaper De Telegraaf blame Dutch Minister of Culture, Jet Bussemaker, for not securing a deal that would bring two large Rembrandt portraits to the Netherlands in a 160 million euro deal with the Rothschild family in France. They accuse the minister of speaking bilaterally with her French counterpart about a joint purchase of the paintings in secret and on her own accord.

After the Dutch cabinet gave its approval to a controversial half-billion euro plan to shut parliamentary buildings for 5.5 years for renovations, representatives of shopkeepers, hotel and catering, and museums all sounded alarm bells. Construction work could begin in 2020 effectively shutting down the Binnenhof parliament sqare.

The Netherlands owe even more money to the EU in additional tax than previously thought, reports Telegraaf. The amount due is estimated at 133 million euros, which comes on top of 1.1 billion euros already paid in additional taxes to the European Union last year.

Dutch national railway NS withheld information from the Parliament and the Ministry of Transport during the Fyra bid, writes newspaper NRC. The company also used account manipulations to win the license. That follows from parliament questioning of Nol Döbken, the former general manager of the High Speed Alliance (HSA), a former subsidiary of NS.

Though they were not actually selling drugs of any sort, the "ecstasy shop" opened by the youth wing of D66 in the center of Amsterdam represents a model of what the organization thinks such a shop should look like. A Young Democrats activist stood firm at the door checking the age of the entrants. People behind the counter selling packages with little pills, actually colorful candy, gave out leaflets with information on usage, doses and side effects.

Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem still expects the Eurozone countries and Greece to reach an agreement, reports RTL Nieuws. However, parties in the parliament seem somewhat less optimistic about the deal.

Former State Secretary of Security and Justice Fred Teeven was sworn back in as a member of Dutch parliament on Thursday, just over two weeks after resigning his office in scandal. The controversy dates back to 2001 when Teeven, then a public prosecutor, authorized a 4.7-million guilder (2.1-million euro) payout to alleged drug criminal Cees H.

Former State Secretary of Security and Justice Fred Teeven (VVD) may be returning to parliament soon. Teeven, who resigned only last week, may soon be asked to take the place left vacant by Mark Verheijen's resignation late last month.