“There is no question of an asylum crisis, but of a ‘VVD crisis’.” D66 leader Rob Jetten immediately went on the attack in the EenVandaag debate to which the six largest parties were invited. “Because you showed no leadership and made no choices.”
VVD leader Dilan Yeşilgöz defended that choice, because she said the coalition was about to make ‘weak compromises’. The VVD leader further said that it is D66 that ‘denies every problem on asylum, ignores people’s concerns and pretends it does not exist’. PVV leader Geert Wilders jokingly agreed with Rob Jetten by saying: “It is indeed a crisis because the VVD has implemented D66 policy.”
Wilders, who has a tailwind in the polls, also clearly aimed at the BBB voter in the debate. During the block in which party leaders debated the climate, he clearly stood up for the farmers.
‘A bit ridiculous’
Jetten found Frans Timmermans’ (GroenLinks-PvdA) plea to conclude agreements to solve the nitrogen problem ‘a bit laughable’. During the fierce debate, Jetten told Timmermans that he said earlier this month that he would not stick to 2030 as a deadline in the nitrogen crisis at all costs. The D66 leader believes that Timmermans showed ‘no backbone’ when he ‘derided’ the nitrogen deadline during the RTL election debate.
Timmermans fired back that Jetten was part of the cabinet that was unable to solve the nitrogen problem. He believes that nature is ‘sick’ and that agreements should be made about this ‘right or left’.
‘You are plucking people bald’
In the last block, in which social security was central, VVD party leader Yesilgöz was very critical of the tax plans of GroenLinks-PvdA. “You are plucking people bald,” the VVD leader said to Timmermans. Yesilgöz pointed out to him, among other things, the tax increases that GroenLinks-PvdA has in store for entrepreneurs. And the increase in inheritance tax.
“We are asking for a contribution from the richest Dutch people,” Timmermans replied. “We are not going to cut back on healthcare, you will.”
