Months later, the attempt by the PvdA top to act quickly and decisively against the alleged transgressive behavior of Member of Parliament Gijs van Dijk has turned into a publicity nightmare with no end in sight. Instead of Van Dijk, party chairman Esther-Mirjam Sent is now under fire: an internal appeals committee wrote last week that the party board led by Sent had acted “carelessly”. Publications by HP/The Time this weekend raises more questions about her own meddling.
The state of affairs could cost the PvdA a seat in parliament: Van Dijk feels empowered by the appeals committee’s decision and now wants to return to the PvdA faction as the successor to Khadija Arib, an option that the PvdA has so far ruled out.
Van Dijk went to the appeals committee out of dissatisfaction with the way in which the independent investigation that the PvdA was set up against him was handled. Research agency Bezemer & Schubad concluded in June that it is “plausible” that the three complainants “feel treated transgressively and/or unwanted” and that it was not just a matter that Van Dijk “was not always honest in the relational sphere”, such as he himself says. Party chairman Sent called the findings “serious” and also said that it is “undesirable” that Van Dijk is still active for the PvdA in the coming years.
Also read this article: Gijs van Dijk (PvdA) will not return to the Chamber
The appeals committee called that statement “inappropriate”, in a harsh judgment stating that the party board had acted “negligently” towards Van Dijk. For example, Van Dijk was not given enough time for a hearing. Moreover, the party board “failed to substantiate and specify” the conclusion that Van Dijk’s behavior has damaged his political functioning or the PvdA.
Telephone call
Publications by HP/The Time over the past few days have sowed more doubts about the role that party chairman Sent has played. In a recorded telephone conversation between Sent and one of the reporters, who is also in possession of NRC, the party chairman says she will ask another reporter for permission to share screenshots with confidential information from the investigation. While Sent says in the same conversation that he is “furious” about Van Dijk or people around him leaking passages from the investigation to journalists. The PvdA says on this point that Sent has never actually shared information or considered it.
Sent also says in the conversation that she has “commissioned” Bezemer & Schubad to write a summary “that is faithful to the report and with which we have sufficient basis to proceed to a sanction”. That statement may give the impression that Sent wanted to influence the conclusions of the independent investigation. Her spokesperson denies that, saying Sent has only asked for “a truthful summary that does justice to the contents of the report.”
Sent published a brief response last week stating that “the conclusions of the investigation report are not up for discussion.” That claim cannot be properly verified because the research report was never published due to the agreed confidentiality. Furthermore, the PvdA only responded briefly to the publications in HP/The Time and refuses to answer further questions from the media.
Also read this article: Appeals committee: PvdA party board acted ‘carelessly’ in the Van Dijk case
How the matter will continue is uncertain. Three weeks ago, Khadija Arib announced her departure as a member of the House of Representatives after it became known that the Presidium of the House of Representatives is conducting an investigation into complaints about her conduct as Speaker of the House. Arib has still not submitted her official letter of resignation, the House of Representatives confirms. Only when that letter has been received will Van Dijk – because he was elected last year – be asked by the Electoral Council whether he wants to retake his seat. Van Dijk said Thursday in an interview with TV show One today that he is “delighted” to return to the PvdA faction. “I really want us to resolve this conflict and to be able to represent Social Democracy with my heart and soul again.”
Publications by HP/The Time sowed more doubts about the role that party chairman Sent played
The chance that Van Dijk will be welcome again in the group does not seem very great. The spokesperson for party chairman Attje Kuiken let NRC know last week that the faction will continue to support the judgment of the party board, “because they have initiated the investigation and know the conclusions”.
A version of this article also appeared in the newspaper of October 25, 2022