The political-official top of the House of Representatives was authorized to conduct research into possible cross-border behavior by Khadija Arib in her time as Chamber President (2016-2021). Moreover, that research was carried out “in accordance with the applicable rules”. That is what the Court of The Hague today states in its judgment.
At the end of 2022, the House of Representatives was ‘obliged’, as the employer of the officials concerned, to ‘investigate the concrete signals’ about the behavior of Arib as Chamber President ‘for actual correctness’, the court judges. The command of the Hoffmann research agency subsequently “lawful” was done. The same applies to the publication of the summary of the research report that Arib tried to stop in vain.
On all these points, the former chamber president is therefore unsuccessful. With regard to the processing of its personal data, the court also finds that the political-official top had ‘compelling, justified grounds’. “The facts investigation has been carefully carried out.” The clients have ‘made a sufficient effort’ to inform Arib “about the facts investigations and the rights that they had in that context”. To which the judge continues that “she has always stopped the contact about it”.
Aribs Advocaten, Knoops couple, said in a written response: “The ruling is extremely disappointing.” On behalf of their client, they announce that they will challenge the appeal judgment.
Unanimous decision
Almost two and a half years ago unveiled NRC That the Presidium, after advice from national lawyer Pels Rijcken, had unanimously decided an external investigation. That happened after two anonymous letters about the arrangement and behavior of Arib (PvdA) had arrived in her time as Chamber President, in which reporting was made of, among other things, “abuse of power” and “an unsafe working environment”.
The reason for one of the letter writers was the appointment of Arib as chairman of the Committee of MPs who would investigate public action during the Coronacrisis. That would mean that Arib would again be in direct contact with employees of the Lower House.
The detailed accusations about Arib did not stand in itself. They were recognized and confirmed by the then leadership of the official organization of the House of Representatives and followed, among other things, collisions between the works council and Arib. The Presidium, led by Bergkamp (D66), asked the Hoffmann company to investigate. Of the seventeen incidents that are described in the two letters, sixteen were confirmed, the researchers determined.