The benefit parents could not stand to see the new majority in the House of Representatives slamming on the brakes on a new fraud policy. And more happened in the House.
The regular group of benefit parents in the public gallery watches the debate on the parliamentary inquiry into the benefits affair with horror. “We’re stepping up. We don’t have to put up with this,” whispers Jurgen Deceuninck from Pesse.
Moments earlier, Jimmy Dijk, the SP leader from Groningen, pokes a handful of papers at Roelien Kamminga, the VVD MP from Zuidbroek. He thinks it is a shame that the VVD does not simply adopt the nineteen proposals from the committee of inquiry, while it is clear that the approach to fraud has gotten out of hand. “Your party is responsible for the ideology behind this scandal,” he snaps at her.
“Mr Dijk makes a caricature of it,” Kamminga responds. She calmly explains that she takes the committee’s fraud plans seriously. But take over everything without any discussion? “Just tie it up? That doesn’t do the report justice.”
The NSC, the party of benefits champion Pieter Omtzigt, just like the VVD and PVV, does not simply want to agree to the list of recommendations. The forming parties will face harsh criticism from GroenLinks-PvdA, SP, ChristenUnie and Party for the Animals.
Do other fraud approaches collapse like plum pudding?
Well, such extensive research has been conducted by the committee of inquiry and everyone admitted that the government has made major mistakes, and then it finally collapses like a plum pudding? But the NSC wants to wait for the PVV, because it is tradition that the largest party submits a motion on behalf of the entire House after such a parliamentary inquiry. That will only be difficult, as it becomes apparent when Edgar Mulder, the PVV member on duty, takes the floor.
The PVV has no interest in softening a tough approach to fraudsters. “Don’t bake in too much leniency,” says Mulder. “The Netherlands should not become a lazy country for criminals and fraudsters.”
That’s too much for the motley crew in the stands. The group of parents, including the Drenthe couple Jurgen and Gerda Deceuninck, have a day job. All those interrogations, helping fellow victims, talking to officials, politicians and journalists. Some of them have actually made it their job, in the form of an aid foundation or as experts by experience. And this is at least the tenth meeting in the House of Representatives that they have attended about it.
All the while, everyone and everything recognizes that they are the victims of a far too harsh approach to fraud. That they have been treated wrongly as a result, that it is a tragedy that their children have also been taken away and that they are entitled to compensation. And then you get this.
Resigning completely ignores MPs and journalists
It wasn’t the first time the group had stepped out. What else do you have to do to show your dissatisfaction? But this time it isn’t even noticed by the press. Because all journalists have long gone to the office or home. They are watching the debate from behind a screen, just like everyone in the House of Representatives does these days.
So most MPs are also ignored by the action. They have plenty of other things on their minds in this last busy week before the May recess.
One floor below the plenary hall, the formation discussions flow quietly. We don’t hear much about it except some arguing via tweets. But after the holidays, a breakthrough is finally promised.
The Groningen survey and the benefits survey have not even been completely completed before another survey is being set up based on the corona approach. There seem to be a lot of accusations from parties that would have preferred no measures against corona at all. But Prime Minister Rutte will not be questioned until 2026 at the earliest, so he still has some time.
PVV for lower rents because ‘promised’
It is also the week of the law on rental properties. Where, remarkably, the PVV comes to the aid of the parties on the left by opting for lower rents.
“That’s what we promised the voter,” says Barry Madlener of the PVV. And he actually holds up after emotional attacks from Mona Keijzer of the BBB, about the property rights of landlords, and business arguments from Peter de Groot of the VVD, about that investors will sell their homes en masse if they earn less from them.
Habtamu de Hoop of GL-PvdA, the Frisian who, according to Johan Derksen, could not be Frisian, takes to the interruption microphone. “I hope it doesn’t frighten Mr. Madlener, but I’m going to compliment him.” “It still scares me,” Madlener responds with a nervous laugh.
Arend van Wijngaarden is a parliamentary reporter for Dagblad van het Noorden
