Members of D66 want a new, external investigation into cross-border behavior within the party. A majority of the members voted at the party congress in Den Bosch on Saturday in favor of a motion in favor of this, following (the handling of) the Van Drimmelen case. Prior to the vote, the national board of D66 advised against new research.
De Volkskrant revealed in April that D66 had not made public a report on ‘cross-border behaviour’ by party prominent Frans van Drimmelen, contrary to a report that exonerated him. Later it turned out that party leader Sigrid Kaag had been aware of the conclusions of the secret report for a year and that the main victim contacted her†
The victim is said to have asked for help from various party leaders in six years, including former party leader Alexander Pechtold† A motion to investigate Pechtold’s role in the Van Drimmelen issue, as well as that of former senate party leader Thom de Graaf, was narrowly rejected. In Den Bosch, 108 D66 members voted against and 94 in favour.
Read also about the inserted members’ meeting that D66 held last month around the Van Drimmelen case
‘accumulation of investigations’
The party’s national board has admitted to making mistakes in handling the secret report, the authors of the motion write. Three other (former) prominent figures within the party would also support a call for a new investigation, but they do not dare to do so in public. That would indicate “that there is no safe atmosphere within the party leadership to raise abuses”.
Prior to the motion, the national board stated that it would consider social safety a top priority and that it would work “at national, regional and local level” in the coming years to “guarantee social safety”. A separate external investigation could nevertheless not support it, as it previously announced an evaluation of “the overall reporting structure” within the party. One more study would therefore lead to ‘an accumulation of different studies’.
MEP Sophie in ‘t Veld supported the motion. “I understand the objection of the board, but vote in favor in connection with its symbolic value,” said In ‘t Veld. “The approach [van grensoverschrijdend gedrag] is still distant and formal. If you know there are unsafe situations, act accordingly.” In ‘t Veld himself has come into conflict with fellow MEP Samira Rafaela, it revealed NRC last month. Three former employees filed complaints against Rafaela, who is alleged to have been guilty of abuse of power resulting in an “unsafe work situation”. Those complaints were well-founded, according to the party’s Integrity Investigations Committee.
Also read: Split in the Brussels faction of D66, complaints about MEP Samira Rafaela
Support for government nitrogen plans
At the same congress, a motion that the nitrogen plans of the Minister for Nature and Nitrogen (VVD) was unanimously adopted by the D66 members. “It is vital for nature that our parliamentary group continues to support Minister van der Wal’s nitrogen plans,” he said. wrote D66 States member and petitioner Antoon Kanis† At a members’ congress of the VVD last weekend, a narrow majority voted against the plans of their own minister.