GroenLinks will not agree with the Temporary COVID-19 Measures Act, better known as the corona law or emergency act. According to GroenLinks leader Jesse Klaver, the law sidelined the House of Representatives and gives ministers Hugo de Jonge (Public Health) and Ferd Grapperhaus (Justice and Security) the power to implement far-reaching restrictions on freedoms, without the approval of the parliament.
“This law makes it possible for the cabinet to govern by decree. As the law currently stands, GroenLinks will vote against”, Klaver told NU.nl. “As a parliament, we cannot let this happen.”
Currently, the corona rules are enshrined in local emergency ordinances, but critics point out that the emergency measures are not intended to last for a longer period of time. In addition, the regulations are promulgated by the presidents of the security regions, which means that there is no democratic control of municipal councils and parliament.
The cabinet is therefore coming up with a bill that must enshrine the corona rules by law. But that proposal has been criticized by lawyers, among others, but also protesters.
Last Friday, a mixed group again stood on the Malieveld to protest against the corona speed law. In addition to conspiracy thinkers, who attacked MP Pieter Omtzigt, among others, Klaver also saw protesters who are genuinely concerned about the power that the cabinet is getting with the corona law.
“I don’t really have much good to say about the virus madmen, because I think they spread misinformation and that is dangerous. But most of the people who oppose the emergency law are not virus madmen, they are very thinking citizens who do not want to. that a minister gets so much power without controlling the parliament. “
“I think the questions they ask are right and we have to debate that as politicians. They see full planes flying to holiday destinations, while the theaters have to keep their doors closed.”
Then as a cabinet you can say: we are relaxing the rules for the cultural sector and then we will be rid of the protests against the emergency law.
“That is not enough. The law is really not well put together. The minister can restrict fundamental rights, without approval from parliament. Yes, to combat the virus, fundamental rights may be curtailed, I am just saying that this must be done through the parliament. As the law now stands, GroenLinks will therefore vote against. “
What you call government by decree means that with the corona law the minister can quickly take measures to intervene with a so-called ministerial regulation. Given the need to act quickly, the cabinet says that this is better than a legislative process where the House will only delay.
“In the corona crisis, but also other crises, the parliament has acted in unison and has shown that it can act very quickly. Not so long ago, this parliament discussed a support package of 50 billion euros in three hours. That is unprecedented, but the was necessary. To pretend that as a minister you cannot govern because parliament would get in the way is really nonsense. “
The cabinet says that with the corona law it wants to give parliament that democratic role. The corona rules are not democratic now, because it is regulated by local emergency ordinances outside the municipal councils and parliament.
“It is constantly said that the cabinet is doing this to strengthen democracy, but parliament is not given a role.”
“Almost all lawyers say there is currently no good legal basis for sweeping corona rules, because an emergency ordinance must be short-lived.
But the power given to the minister by this law to restrict fundamental rights as he sees fit does not fit in a parliamentary democracy. “
“I think that the longer the corona crisis lasts, the more the parliament should be included in the measures that the cabinet wants to take, instead of Prime Minister Rutte and Minister De Jonge announcing this through press conferences. It is also important for the support that the government wants to take. all arguments are exchanged in an open debate. “
Rutte seemed to be reaching out to this group last Tuesday by saying that there is no truth in the approach to the corona virus and that he is willing to listen to all the criticism. Why is that signal not enough?
“It is not about the prime minister just saying that the cabinet hears every signal. I think people need a longer-term perspective. That perspective is not there. The strategy seems to be that the cabinet is waiting for a vaccine. If that is not forthcoming, then bet on a treatment method. “
“But what if that does not work or takes longer than we estimate, what is the plan for the coming months? How do we organize society?”
The cabinet expects a vaccine in early 2021 and says until then: hold on and stick to the rules. Do you think that is not enough?
“I also hope that we will then have a vaccine, but we also have to think about the scenario if that does not work. Then I think you should move towards a testing society.”
“That requires that we have to test on a much larger scale and much faster to make it possible to do a little bit normally again.”
“Isn’t it strange that the Tour de France can cycle around and the footballers can be tested every three days, but that is not possible in education or care?”
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