mps

Dutch​ Parliament Bids Farewell to ‍70 ​MPs as New Era Dawns

THE HAGUE – A wave of change swept‍ through the Dutch ⁢Parliament today as seventy departing Members of Parliament (MPs) received farewells,marking the end of their terms following the⁣ November 2023 elections. The session, filled with both poignant reflection and lighthearted⁢ tributes, acknowledged the contributions⁢ of veteran lawmakers and rising stars alike, ⁢as a‌ new political landscape takes shape.

Speaker of the House, Martin Bosma,‍ led the farewells, expressing particular sympathy for Laurens Dassen, now the sole remaining member of ⁤his ‍volt⁢ faction after the party ‍lost its⁤ seats. Bosma also‌ noted his regret over the departure of‌ Willem ⁣Boutkan of the PVV, recalling a story ‍of Boutkan initially being‌ unaware of his election ‌victory until his wife changed the television channel. Bosma praised ⁢Boutkan’s “golden voice.”

The outgoing MPs were remembered for their individual strengths. Bosma described the departure of CDA member⁣ Eline Vedder,a working farmer,as ​making the⁢ House “a bit more killer.” Reinbert Blaauw⁤ (PVV) ‍was lauded for his concise writing, while BBB’s Pierik was recognized for his ability to clarify complex ⁣issues using bar charts and tables. GroenLinks-PvdA’s⁣ Geert Gabriëls earned a humorous mention ‌for introducing the term “jerk mouse” to ‍parliamentary​ discourse.

several MPs may ⁢return to ​the House should current members be appointed to ‍cabinet positions, including VVD’s Simone⁢ richardson, who has previously filled vacancies four times, and Bart Bikkers,⁤ who narrowly missed out on a ⁢seat.

A standing ovation was given ​to SP ​member Van Nispen,who served​ for over 4,000 parliamentary days. Van Nispen urged the media ​to shift focus from political turmoil to the ample work conducted behind the scenes, citing his own submission of​ 1060 motions – all “equally good,” he joked to CDA leader Bontenbal, who has advocated for reducing the number of motions.

The departure of Frans Timmermans, leader of GroenLinks-PvdA, was also acknowledged. Absent⁣ from the farewell⁢ session,Timmermans resigned on election night after exit polls indicated a meaningful loss for his party,taking “full responsibility” for the outcome. Bosma hailed Timmermans as “a‍ phenomenon” and “one of‍ the most influential politicians of the past twenty‍ years.”