The Tweede Kamer, the lower house of the Dutch parliament, gathered in its old composition for the last time on Tuesday. After all the final duties, the parliamentarians say goodbye. Over half will not return to the new Kamer, which will be installed on Wednesday. In the meantime, the government formation process continues. Scout Ronald Plasterk and election winner Geert Wilders (PVV) met with the leaders of the VVD and BBB on Tuesday and will meet with the NSC tomorrow.
Wybren van Haga in parliament. Photo: Peter Hilz ANP/HH
A poster circulated by far right party Forum voor Democratie which linked World War II with the current anti-coronavirus measures has been criticized by two high profile party members.
Wybren van Haga, the party’s number two and main spokesman on coronavirus, told MPs on Thursday he felt the comparison was ‘not sensible for several reasons’.
‘It gives me an uneasy feeling and … gets in the way of the discussion,’ he said during a debate on the government’s coronavirus measures. ‘As far as I am concerned it is totally unnecessary to rip open these sorts of wounds.’
DutchNews podcast – The Resurrection Rutte Edition – Week 14
Photo: ANP/HH/Peter Hilz
In an Easter week of remarkable comebacks, none was so spectacular as Mark Rutte’s career diving and resurfacing like a Dutch submarine catching a glimpse of barbecue sunshine. Forum voor Democratie’s prodigal pensioner Theo Hiddema returned as a senator and veteran negotiator Herman Tjeenk Willink came out of retirement to head the coalition formation talks. We ask what could possibly go wrong as Hugo de Jonge unveils a cunning plan to hold mass public events in the middle of a pandemic. If you prefer to stay indoors, we explain how you can help fish navigate the Dutch canal network from the safety of your laptop. And the Dutch art world’s answer to Sherlock Holmes helps track down a suspect in the case of two stolen paintings by Van Gogh and Frans Hals.