Mark Rutte’s mother died in a nursing home in mid-May, in the midst of the corona crisis. Mieke Rutte-Dilling turned 96. According to a test, she did not have a corona herself. The virus did go around in the home where she lived.
Feeling of gratitude
Shortly after her death, Rutte had indicated, through a statement from the Government Information Service (RVD), that he was especially grateful. “In addition to the great sadness and all the fond memories, my family and I also have a feeling of gratitude that we were allowed to have her with us for so long.”
–
–
In a conversation with Jeroen Pauw and Fidan Ekiz, Mark Rutte told last night that he had not been allowed to visit his mother for a long time. “The last time I visited her was the week before my TV speech,” explains the prime minister. While the speech he announced the first measures. “It remains to find the balance between taking the necessary measures and allowing ordinary life to continue as much as possible,” said the prime minister at the time.
Dear ‘laptop sisters’
He experienced these measures firsthand in contact with his mother. “We were able to make video calls with her very sweet ‘laptop sisters’. In the beginning we could also stand in front of the window and then talk to each other over the phone.”
Watch the excerpt here:
–
–
That was nice, says Rutte, but of course it is ‘completely different’ from what he liked to do: visit her on the weekends with an Indian meal. Rutte was allowed to be with his mother the night before her death. Such was the protocol of the nursing homes: one family member could stay with a resident if death was imminent. “My sister was there the day before.”
Kept secret
“And meanwhile you were saving the country,” says Jeroen Pauw. “That combination was very special indeed,” Rutte admits. After her death, Rutte immediately informed a number of direct colleagues: Hugo de Jonge, Ferd Grapperhaus and a few officials with whom he works daily. He also wanted it to be kept secret until after the funeral. “I didn’t want photographers lying in the bushes at her funeral,” explains the prime minister.
–
–
How did Rutte manage to continue? He had to, he says. “That is my job. I could not suddenly go off the rails. In that month we were still in the middle of the crisis, there were still many people in intensive care. But what had happened in my private life, it was complicated for me. “
Talk a lot about it
Rutte talks a lot with his family members about the death of his mother. This way he manages to continue during the day. But really process it? “I have to think again about this this summer,” he says. “Of course she was old, but still in good shape. She was a proud mother, but also very critical. And she was certainly not ahead of me.”
–
–
