Thanks to an agreement with Pro, Minister Sjoerdsma (D66) of Development Cooperation can guide his budget through the Senate with a majority. What Pro did not know was that the VVD also closed a deal with D66. In exchange for the extra money for development cooperation, the VVD may submit the bill that punishes the glorification of terrorism. This bill had already been prepared within the Schoof cabinet.
This so-called ‘shadow deal’ led to suspicion among the opposition parties, note NRC editors Marko de Haan and Famke Seine. Not surprising, because Sjoerdsma’s search for political support had previously sent the opposition parties into disarray. Is it smart for a minority cabinet to treat parliamentarians in this way?
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Read and listen further:
The (high?) price of political principles
The right to demonstrate is being overhauled and a bill against glorifying terrorism: ‘We should not be constantly on a repressive tour’
With support from 50Plus, Minister Sjoerdsma seems to be able to save his budget in the nick of time: ‘Our moral duty to help vulnerable people’
The opposition feels cheated in political games involving development money
- Guest:
- Famke Seine, Marko de Haan
- Presentation:
- Erik van der Walle
- Editorial:
- Lotteke Boogert
- Assembly:
- Pieter Bakker