Opposition parties thought it was a weak story. According to PVV leader Wilders, healthcare workers have been misled. “At first a mouth mask was not necessary and on August 17 suddenly it was!” Wilders pointed out that 18,000 healthcare workers fell ill.
PvdA leader Asscher was irritated that the prime minister dismissed the mask issue as an “administrative issue”. 50Plus party chairman Van Brenk wondered when the cabinet was going to make an apology. Jesse Klaver thought that Rutte kept “getting stuck” in his explanation. “Admit your mistake,” said the GroenLinks leader. Rutte stuck to his explanation.
Lack of testing
There was also growing criticism of the lack of testing and the long waiting times. GGD foreman De Gouw said that today tens of thousands of people cannot be tested.
Minister De Jonge explained this in part because there are “fewer large-scale test laboratories in the Netherlands”. According to him, it was quiet in the test streets until mid-August, but then the demand suddenly rose sharply, “steeper than expected”.
German laboratories
De Jonge acknowledged that it could have helped if there had been “earlier bets” on contracts with large German laboratories. “But in the context we had at the time, that was not obvious. But we are working hard, we cannot arrange everything we hoped for.” De Jonge repeated his promise that more testing can be done in October.
PVV leader Wilders believes that De Jonge has failed. “You had seven months to arrange everything. You keep coming up with excuses. Are you able to do your job?”
VVD and GroenLinks submitted a proposal that should result in the cabinet purchasing rapid tests “as soon as possible and as much as possible”.
‘Cabinet loses grip’
The cabinet must therefore do its best, says the House. “Because things are not going well, and the cabinet is losing its grip on the virus and its trust in society,” said SP leader Marijnissen. According to ChristenUnie MP Dik-Faber, the cabinet must communicate “really more honestly”. “Better the honest story than tough language.”
D66 party chairman Jetten wondered whether all the lack of clarity would lead to actions on social media such as #Idoenietmeermee. “As long as the government policy to contain the virus is not in order, there will be less perspective and clarity for people”.
Watch the various videos of the debate here.
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