The issue was also debated in parliament on Tuesday. Then it turned out that the Speaker of the House Vera Bergkamp has enough support to continue the announced fact-finding investigation into the allegations. On Wednesday it was discussed in more detail in a special parliamentary committee that deals with the functioning of parliament.
Without House of Representatives officials, “we can’t do our job,” said Laura Bromet of GroenLinks. Almost all the other MPs agreed with her words. “It is they who enable us to have a functioning parliamentary democracy,” says Stephan van Baarle of DENK.
Almost all of the MPs present also expressed their regret that the investigation was “made politically”. Normally, these kinds of topics must be discussed in the council of the Chamber (the presidium), behind closed doors. Now he has returned repeatedly in debates and in the media.
Van der Plas apologies
Several politicians referred to the previous meeting of the same working method committee two weeks ago. According to Speaker of the House of Representatives Bergkamp, that meeting too “went beyond its limits.” Caroline van der Plas even apologized if her questions about her exacerbated feelings of insecurity among employees.
There were also MPs who wanted to continue the content of the discussion. According to Renske Leijten (SP), it is right that questions about the state of affairs are being asked because the matter was in the public eye. They wanted to know what the garrison did with reports of an unsafe working atmosphere.
The Chamber also asked for details on the research design and, in particular, whether it should be expanded. Bergkamp was not at all willing to do this, because she wants clarity quickly. More questions about the House of Representatives details will be addressed in other studies, she says.