Mark Rutte stands up a little straighter, his shoulders back, and says no. It is day two of the General Political Considerations, the most important political debate of the year, and Pieter Omtzigt is standing at the interruption microphone, opposite Rutte. Omtzigt wants measures from the outgoing cabinet to limit labor migration, which Rutte IV already seemed to agree on before the summer. Just before the cabinet fell. Omtzigt subsequently submitted a motion about it, which was supported by a majority in the House of Representatives.
But Rutte refuses. In a distant tone he says that “it doesn’t work that way.” “The cabinet governs, the House controls. The cabinet is not an extension of the House of Representatives.” Pieter Omtzigt, currently a single-handed Member of Parliament, is not giving up. His voice becomes higher. “Mr President,” he says, “I expect the cabinet to do it.”
It’s the old power against the new. Rutte, outgoing Prime Minister and no longer the party leader of the VVD, is almost certainly there for the last time. Omtzigt is almost certainly alone for the last time. His new party New Social Contract can count on 25 to 31 seats, according to the Peilingwijzer, a weighted average of two polls. More than the VVD.
It is certain that Klaver will stop playing his role sooner than I will stop playing mine
Mark Rutte
But that doesn’t count yet, the elections are not until November 22. And the Speaker of the House only allows Omtzigt to ask Rutte something three times, after which it is someone else’s turn. Omtzigt doesn’t get his way.
Out of sight of cameras
Although it is certainly not the case that Rutte determines the tone and content of the debate on Thursday. It is as good as played out and the House of Representatives does not pretend for a moment that this might be different. He gets a lot of questions, but no more business is done with him. The factions do this among themselves. On the benches and out of sight of the cameras in the corridors, they sought majorities for their proposals on increasing the minimum wage, more money for public transport, childcare allowance, and the child-related budget. There are no more coalition agreements, everyone was mixed up. And so you could see CDA leader Henri Bontenbal standing with Lilian Marijnissen of the SP for consultations, PVV member Fleur Agema with a paper in her hand approaching Denk faction leader Stephan van Baarle, PvdA member Attje Kuiken standing with Geert Wilders. , GroenLinks faction leader Jesse Klaver with Caroline van der Plas of BBB.
Huge, expensive plans. Would Mrs. Van der Plas say how she pays for that?
Jan Paternotte
Mark Rutte himself does not seem to think that he has finished playing yet. Although no one was noticeably fierce against him, he clearly wanted to participate in the election campaign to some extent. When Jesse Klaver tells him that these General Political Reflections are his last, Rutte says: “Yes, and for you too.” Not Klaver, but Frans Timmermans became the leader of GroenLinks-PvdA. Rutte also says that it may not yet be clear how long he will remain there as outgoing Prime Minister, that depends on the cabinet formation. But: “In any case, it is certain that Klaver will stop playing his role sooner than I will stop playing mine.”
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Photo Bart Maat
When it comes to nitrogen and Van der Plas wants “more serious answers” from him because “the country is on fire” and people don’t want any of his “fun”, he reacts irritated. With his arms folded and a straight face, he says that Van der Plas “does not have a monopoly on the emotions and concerns of the people dealing with the nitrogen problems.” And: “So let her stop claiming that at all, as if she is the only one who realizes that.”
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He also does the same against Pieter Omtzigt. It is already in the morning when Rutte reacts to him almost viciously. Omtzigt stands at the interruption microphone for the first time and starts talking about gas extraction in the North Sea, about which he has previously asked the cabinet questions. “Ah yes,” says Rutte, “Mr Omtzigt has the tradition of asking all the questions he has asked and to which he knows the answers will be given again during interim debates.” Omtzigt will receive the answer in October, Rutte says. “But you already knew that,” and he looks away.
Sweets
During this debate, about the Budget Memorandum, the entire cabinet always sits in the so-called ‘section K’. For two days, although only Rutte speaks to the House of Representatives. The ministers and state secretaries are reading their papers, texting each other, eating sweets: there are envelopes with English licorice. They are also supposed to pay attention. But for many of them, little came of it this time. Outgoing Minister of Education Robbert Dijkgraaf (D66), who is known for always listening attentively during debates, hardly looks up this time when a party leader is speaking.
But at the very end, when the motions are being submitted, everyone suddenly pays attention. Van der Plas presents a motion, also signed by Omtzigt, about increasing the minimum wage. According to her, that wage should increase “slightly”, and according to BBB and Omtzigt this can be paid by saving money on “the expenditure side”.
Sometimes your jaw drops a little during a motion, and that is the case now
Mirjam Bikker
Other factions have been busy for a long time thinking about how they could pay for their plans after Budget Day, as a correction to the cabinet budget. Christian Union leader Mirjam Bikker, who is also submitting a motion on increasing the minimum wage, is unusually sharp in her actions. She says: “Sometimes your jaw drops a little during a motion, and that is the case now.” What exactly does Van der Plas mean by ‘a little’? Van der Plas says: “One or two percent.”
What happens next: one faction leader after another comes to the interruption microphone to say how strange and vague they find the idea. Van der Plas continues to maintain that it is possible. For example, she says, the government could cut back on hiring consultants. Otherwise, she believes, the cabinet can also come up with a proposal itself. There is loud and derisive laughter about this in the hall and in the stands.
Henri Bontenbal of the CDA calls it “a free beer motion” and “not financially sound”. And does Van der Plas know what it costs, that increase? Van der Plas has no idea and again there is a lot of laughter. Jesse Klaver of GroenLinks believes that she is actually saying: “As a government, we can spend whatever we want and we are going to reduce taxes.” He calls that “not fair” to the voter.
Sophie Hermans of the VVD says that MPs must do their work “responsibly and thoroughly”, which, according to her, is not the way Van der Plas does it. “It just has to add up to some extent.” Jan Paternotte includes the entire BBB election program. “Huge plans that are extremely expensive. Would Mrs. Van der Plas say how she will pay for that?”
Mr Omtzigt has a tradition of asking all the questions he has asked again
Mark Rutte
The big winner of the provincial elections in March, seems to be the idea among most factions, is a huge disappointment here. MPs bump each other in the benches, they also laugh at each other. The new party members of BBB, who switched from the PVV and JA21, sit quietly next to each other on the benches.
Pieter Omtzigt also remains seated all this time.
A little later it is his turn to come up with motions, and he starts with a remark: he calls the fact that the House of Representatives has come up with so many motions, on so many subjects, “overconfident”. He makes a plea for careful management, taking the time to think. But what about, asks Sophie Hermans, the motion that includes his name, about the minimum wage? Omtzigt gives almost the same answers as Van der Plas, with some additional amounts. He calls the motion “a signal” that he is not opposed in principle to increasing the minimum wage.
What is striking: Bontenbal, Paternotte and Klaver say nothing about it. Mirjam Bikker does, but in a completely different tone than against Van der Plas. Omtzigt has already said, what he often does, how difficult it is for him to do his work as a split-off sole operator, with hardly any support, less money, little speaking time.
After the debate, Bikker said that she saw that he “found it difficult”, she did not want to make it even more difficult for him. Henri Bontenbal, from the ‘free beer’, says that he did not stand up at Omtzigt because he receives a lot of criticism from people when they ask sharp questions about him. That puts him off.
Voting will take place later in the evening. The motion of BBB and Omtzigt does not pass.