VVD and BBB were able to recover this weekend from the fright of the sudden departure of NSC from the outgoing cabinet, but had to work on Monday to shape the strongly thinned national administration.
Outgoing Prime Minister Dick Schoof, Deputy Prime Minister Sophie Hermans (VVD) and Mona Keijzer (BBB) met on Monday at the Ministry of General Affairs. Earlier in the day, among other things, the king had already been to provide information about the state of affairs.
Among other things, they spoke about the distribution of the ministerial posts. With the departure of NSC, the cabinet is nine drivers poorer, while in June the PVV also left nine posts vacant.
Deputy Prime Minister Keijzer says that VVD and BBB “just wash this pig”, after the consultation with Schoof. “Fast. Very fast. The size of the portfolios is now so great that you no longer make it.” Keijzer is now responsible for the Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning, (part of) asylum and migration and since this weekend also social affairs and employment.
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Internal solution
VVD and BBB have decided that they want to fill in the posts themselves, there will be no top officials or experts from outside. But first VVD and BBB have to determine which party receives which ministerial post. They hope to close a deal this week. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives debates with the prime minister about the “political situation”, it would be painful if VVD and BBB do not have an agreement. It would then make them even more vulnerable to criticism from the opposition.
What the posts are going to fill in only becomes clear later, partly because the new ministers still have to go through an integrity screening, carried out by the AIVD.
The size of the portfolios is now so great that you can’t make it anymore
VVD and BBB would like to radiate unity. For example, Hermans said on Monday afternoon: “The most important thing we share, I noticed in the past year is an incredible sense of responsibility.”
Nevertheless, BBB and VVD regularly collided in the past period. When the PVV dropped the cabinet in June, the parties argued about whom the Ministry of Asylum and Migration could lead. Instead of radiating stability, they proved that they can collide with the PVV without the PVV. Eventually the tasks of the asylum minister were divided over VVD, BBB and NSC, an unusual construction.
Annoying
VVD and BBB want the same content. More money to Defense, restricting the asylum inflow and being soft for companies. The parties think differently about the very important nitrogen file. The BBB wants to keep farmers over their heads – the right to exist of the party – The VVD is very critical of BBB’s agricultural plans. And while the BBB spends money easily in the past year, the VVD is economical.
Hermans says he wants to give ‘account’ to the fact that the cabinet is outgoing. That means she wants to come “not with great reforms.” That would also be practically difficult: BBB and VVD together have a historic low seat number of 32 – it will be difficult for the parties to find majorities.
VVD and BBB emphasize their sense of responsibility. But whether the departure of NSC works in their favor is guessing
But, says Hermans: “We also see that there are a number of major issues that the Netherlands stands for.” She mentions housing, care, education, purchasing power and the position of the industry. “We feel responsible for that, regardless of the situation.”
Since this weekend, Prime Minister Schoof has been calling opposition parties to ask them to be constructive in the coming period. Part of the opposition will not feel anything for that. This does not only apply to the left side. PVV leader Geert Wilders also seems to want to be bothering his former coalition partners so far.
Elections
For VVD and BBB there are opportunities in the departure of NSC in the run -up to the elections at the end of October. Both parties are doing badly in the polls. They are now talking about their great sense of responsibility and make the contrast with the rotated NSC as large as possible.
Whether the current situation actually works out to their advantage is unclear. For the experienced VVD director, finding suitable ministers is not necessary to be a big problem, it can be difficult for the young BBB. The question is whether the party has suitable people to bear the heavy task of the national administration. For the VVD, where party leader Dilan Yesilgöz is already under fire, the question is who is blamed for the departure of NSC. Shouldn’t the VVD have moved with the NSC requirement to take action against Israel because of the war in Gaza? The VVD supporters is split about whether the Netherlands should come up with a harder approach against Israel.
Correction (25 August): It was initially stated that the party leaders Caroline van der Plas (BBB) and Dilan Yesilgöz (VVD) were present at the consultation at the Ministry of General Affairs on Monday. That was not the case and has been adjusted.