It was a debate, but the party leaders mainly went around. Frans Timmermans (GroenLinks-PvdA) warns against Geert Wilders of the PVV. Wilders is still a little nicer to everyone, except Frans Timmermans. Pieter Omtzigt (NSC) finds it difficult to exclude Wilders. And Dilan Yesilgöz of the VVD warns against Timmermans.
The round arises because Wilders said in Nieuwsuur that his priority in the coming period of government is not “Islam”. He presents himself as a reasonable coalition partner, although his election manifesto has hardly been watered down. You would like to, says presenter Wilfred Genee to the PVV leader as he enters the SBS6 television studio. Yes, says Wilders with a grin. He wants to rule “very much”. But who wants him?
It is the first question in the fourth major television debate. This is led by Wilfred Genee and organized by SBS6. In less than a week, on November 22, the House of Representatives elections will take place. The four largest parties in the polls have been invited and are participating. The party leaders and presenter stand together at a round table and talk about healthcare, migration and social security. There are people in the audience with problems, the party leaders are looking for solutions.
For Timmermans, the PVV appears to be a nightmare. He can oppose the party well and is therefore really fierce in a TV debate for the first time. The constitution states that we must treat everyone equally, “he doesn’t do that,” Timmermans warns about Wilders. The PVV leader now says he is parking his positions, but that is playing nice before elections, says Timmermans. Wilders discriminates, says the GroenLinks-PvdA party leader. Wilders has enriched the Dutch language with a head rag tax, a Poland hotline, and a ‘fewer Moroccans’ statement.
Difficult partner
Timmermans remains nice to Omtzigt, while Omtzigt earlier in the day on camera called the NOS GroenLinks-PvdA a very difficult partner.
Insult once, Omtzigt responds to the question of cooperation with Wilders, “we all do that.” Omtzigt’s problem is Wilders’ election manifesto, in which he says he wants to ban mosques and Qurans. That goes against the constitution. And Omtzigt takes an oath to this effect upon his installation as a Member of Parliament – he takes it seriously. But are you excluding him, asks Genee. Omtzigt keeps dodging, and Genee keeps asking. Until Omtzigt says ‘yes’ and quickly adds what he said before: “I cannot cooperate with such an election manifesto.”
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Yesilgöz warns even louder for GroenLinks-PvdA in the Hilversum studio. She seems to be heading for a battle with the left-wing merger party, to divert attention from Omtzigt. For example, when Yesilgöz responds to Lieke, who tells how she, as a teacher, cannot find a home in Velp. She has been looking for three years. Yesilgöz starts her answer when Timmermans interrupts her and says that increasing the minimum wage can also help. Yesilgöz seizes the moment to warn about left-wing taxes on middle groups. Very hard, says Yesilgöz, and she looks at him from the corner of her eye, GroenLinks-PvdA is putting the burden on the middle groups. “You are not telling the honest story.”
Timmermans and Yesilgöz then talk unintelligibly to each other. To the irritation of the audience and Omtzigt. He sighs to Wilders: “I think I’m going to work with you in this way!” Wilders walks over to him and shakes Omtzigt’s hand – that must be sealed.
Labor migration
The VVD party leader also receives a question from Frank van Gool, the boss of the Otto Workforce employment agency. He donated 100,000 euros to Yesilgöz and when he was given the floor, he began to praise her leadership. He believes labor migration is necessary for the Netherlands. What does the VVD think? Yesilgöz quickly makes it clear that she disagrees. She wants to restrict labor migration.
In the round of debates on healthcare, the party leaders find each other more quickly. The mental health waiting lists must be shorter and the financing must change for this. The hospital in Heerlen must remain open. Wilders arranges for all four attendees to say yes, although that takes some effort from the VVD leader. And Wilders and Timmermans both believe that dental care should be included in the basic package.
Harm, neighborhood watch in Budel, can ask a question. There is an asylum seeker center in Budel. Residents experience inconvenience, he says. Harm asks Wilders if he is in favor of the distribution law. Harm hopes that the law will result in less nuisance. Timmermans talks out of turn and says he is ahead. Wilders is against. “Mr Timmermans would prefer to fill the Netherlands with 1,400 asylum seekers per village.”
Yesilgöz says that she is only in favor of a mandatory method of distribution if something is first done about the number of incoming migrants. Timmermans interrupts her and is proud of the reception of Ukrainians and continues to talk about it. Yesilgöz interrupts him: “That’s not what it’s about now, Mr. Timmermans!” Wilders is also involved.
Those politicians, how they spoke at the same time? It irritated the neighborhood watchman from Budel. “I can’t do anything with it. It’s shouting, shouting, shouting.”
Yesilgöz also found it disturbing, she said after a commercial break. But she kept doing it herself. BBB party leader Caroline van der Plas watched and shared her review on X, formerly Twitter: “It was quieter in the average chicken coop in Barneveld tonight than at the Dutch debate.”
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