Timmermans (GL/PvdA) accuses Bontenbal (CDA) of ‘populism-light’
Once again a challenger presents itself. Bontenbal (CDA) is targeting Timmermans (GL/PvdA) on the theme of migration. According to him, migration is a subject that “we should not leave to the sidelines”. He therefore asks the GL/PvdA leader what national asylum measures he is prepared to take.
Bontenbal then presents some proposals itself. For example, he asks Timmermans whether he is prepared to make it more difficult to stack asylum procedures and to restrict repeat requests more strictly. The CDA leader then points him to the asylum laws of former minister Faber, which the House recently discussed. GL/PvdA voted against that package, but also did not want individual parts of it to be introduced separately.
Timmermans then emphasizes that his party does not indeed want to restrict ‘access to justice’, nor does it want to undermine the right to appeal. He considers this an essential part of the rule of law. “I don’t understand why you are guilty of populism-light and are setting aside the rule of law here,” he told Bontenbal.