The ball kicked off after Nieuwsuur’s broadcast this weekend, which showed that not only did Prime Minister Mark Rutte speak of a “feature elsewhere” for Omtzigt, but scouts Annemarie Jorritsma and Kajsa Ollongren also saw the critical member of Parliament as a threat to the stability of saw a cabinet to be formed. They have not reported this to the House.
“Omtzigt was discussed very quickly”
“In that first exploration, Jorritsma and Ollongren said they would just listen and nothing else,” Beekman says. “Now it seems that Pieter Omtzigt has also been discussed very quickly.” According to Beekman, the fact that the MP was discussed at such an early stage – even before that known “position elsewhere” – should have been known much sooner.
Caroline van der Plas
Even the House of Representatives thinks so. He wants clarification on how Omtzigt has been discussed, both from former Speaker of the House of Representatives Khadija Arib and former formation scouts Annemarie Jorritsma, Kajsa Ollongren, Wouter Koolmees and Tamara van Ark. It was BBB leader Caroline van der Plas who called for a debate on Nieuwsuur’s revelations on Tuesday.
Pieter Omtzigt is eager to discuss himself. He wants clarity: ‘Instead of playing hide and seek for two years, they should just tell us what happened,’ he replied. “So we can clean up in one go.”
Request for information
BBB member Van der Plas’ request for a debate did not immediately receive support in the House. “Now there’s a request for information that needs to be met,” Beekman says. “After that there could be a hearing or a panel discussion. And only then a parliamentary debate. There are now three and a half weeks until the summer break. I expect a debate to take place just before or right after recess.’