It started with a positive test result and ended with two new scouts. Events followed each other in rapid succession today from 9 a.m., and by noon it was concluded that the reconnaissance of the formation of a new cabinet had been broken. The question now is how the formation will be restarted, because the confidence of a number of parties has been damaged.
Things went wrong when scout Kajsa Ollongren left the Binnenhof in a hurry this morning after she had received a positive test result. Photographs were taken of her departure and some of them showed documents that Ollongren had in her hand. After zooming in, it turned out that there were notes on the reconnaissance that the D66 minister was doing together with VVD member Annemarie Jorritsma.
‘Position Omtzigt’
The content is especially annoying for the CDA, the intended third party in the formation. For example, it says: “position Omtzigt, function elsewhere”. CDA MP, the number two on the list and the man who played a leading role in uncovering the benefits affair, sits at home in a stressed out state. He becomes seen by some as very critical of the government for a coalition MP.
The fact that the position of a Member of Parliament is being discussed while the scouts have to look at possible coalitions arouses resentment, also outside the CDA. “A pity”, said Chamber chairman Arib. “It is not up to the scouts to discuss a fellow Member of Parliament.” SP Member of Parliament Leijten, Omtzigt’s co-discloser of the benefits affair, calls it shocking. “They want to talk about a new cabinet, but then it is about a representative of the people who they want to play away for a while.”
Pieter Omtzigt’s wife concluded that political leaders want to push her husband out:
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