Finally a fireworks ban? The position of the VVD is crucial, but that party wants more time

CDA MP Derk Boswijk found New Year’s Day as a child the most beautiful day of the year. Then he went to the streets with his brother and cousins ​​to collect and down unploded fireworks from New Year’s Eve – “the shorter the fuse, the more exciting.” “It’s really a miracle that I still have all my eyes and fingers,” said Boswijk on Tuesday with beaming eyes during the debate about the New Year in the Lower House.

This year too, Boswijk stabbed fireworks for his daughters. Yet he is before a general fireworks ban. “I know that this tradition is loved, that people cherish it, I enjoy it myself. But the turn of the year has unfortunately increasingly turned into an annual low of violence against police, care providers and care providers. ” That is why fireworks must be banned, Boswijk believes, also small decorative fireworks.

The CDA is the newest party who has supported an overall fireworks ban a few weeks ago, after last New Year. The CDA has thus responded to the call of care providers, who openly argues for a total ban. 37 percent The police officers no longer want to work during New Year’s Eve. The prohibition is not very controversial among the Dutch population: about two thirds of the Dutch are currently in favor, according to a poll of EenVandaag. Last year it was just over half.

The fireworks discussion is ideologically complex for the VVD

The political enthusiasm for a ban is increasing rapidly. Minister of Justice and Security David van Weel (VVD) told RTL on Monday that a total ban “can certainly contribute to solving the problem,” but he wanted to talk about it with the Chamber. Among other things, his own VVD group is against, but that position is under pressure. If the party runs, there is a majority of the chamber. From an electoral point of view, the choice of a ban is easy, because 61 percent of VVD voters are a ban. But the fireworks discussion is ideologically complex for the VVD. The liberals are against patronizing but like to profile themselves as guards of law and order. This year several VVD members evenings are taking place in which there is a discussion about a fireworks ban.

Minister David van Weel (Justice and Security, VVD) and MP Ingrid Michon-Derkzen (VVD) prior to the debate, Tuesday, in the Lower House about the disturbances during the New Year. Photo Sem van der Wa/ANP

VVD MP Ingrid Michon-Derkzen said during the debate, she said that violence to care providers lies on my stomach during the New Year. But according to Michon Derkzen, it is not necessarily the case that a total ban helps them. She told Minister Van Weel: “I want to know from the cabinet whether a total ban will work.” Is the easy availability of heavy illegal fireworks not the big problem? And: “Why do the good people have to suffer from the evils?”

D66 MP Hanneke van der Werf was ready to cut the VVD member: “I know the colleague Michon Derkzen for longer than today, she is here almost every week with an argument about the safety of the agents and the police. ” But, says Van der Werf, “now the VVD does not give at home.”

CDA MP Boswijk: “I understand that making that turn is not easy, we have made it ourselves,” but “should we not show leadership?” NSC MP Faith Bruyning was also attacked. Her party thinks “there are intermediate steps before you switch to a national fireworks ban.” PvdD MP Ines Kostic said: “If the experts, the care providers, the police say: please, a national fireworks ban is a necessary step, where does NSC get the information that a national ban would not work?”

Despite their skeptical attitude towards the total ban, VVD and NSC gave themselves the space to doubt. Until 19 February, the House will debate an initiative law of GroenLinks-PvdA and the PvdD that includes a total ban.

Michon Derkzen said: “We did not take a position today about a bill that is still coming to the table.”

NSC is “still in consideration about the initiative law,” said Bruyning. “We take everything into consideration.”

GroenLinks-PvdA and PvdD have not put their initiative law in vote in recent years because they were not insured of a majority in the Chamber. This year is changing, Kostic told NRC “All the understanding that the parties need time, but this year the decision must fall. The need for emergency services and police is too high. ”

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