Members of the House of Representatives are expected to table a record number of motions this year’s parliamentary session. 4,300 motions have been filed so far. The previous record was 4500 motions and, according to political journalist Leendert Beekman, we will easily surpass it this year.
Beekman believes the record will be broken this year. “About 4,500 motions have been presented in the last two parliamentary years, but two-minute debates are scheduled today and tomorrow”. According to Beekman, 170 motions were tabled at the last meeting last year. ‘And let’s not forget that the parliamentary year officially goes up to the Prinsjesdag,’ he stresses.
According to Beekman, the motions were originally intended to “encourage the cabinet to do something and guide cabinet policy”. But now the movements are often used for other purposes. “That is, to send a signal to supporters, where it doesn’t even matter if a motion is adopted. As long as they can put it on Twitter.’
Less movements
SGP MP Kees van der Staaij has been hoping for fewer motions for years. “We’ve had enough of our phone calls by now, not much going on.” That is why, according to him, there are now two possibilities. “Just take it and don’t make a fuss, or even make it a share.” The European Parliament, for example, limited it like this,’ Van der Staaij told Beekman.
“The tool becomes blunt”
While it can be an important tool for guiding policy, Van der Staaij is critical of the many motions tabled. «No bad words about the motion, but about the huge amount. Diarrhea movement affects the authority of a movement. The tool becomes blunt’, says Van der Staaij.
Source: BNR
Fernando Dowling is an author and political journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. He has a deep understanding of the political landscape and a passion for analyzing the latest political trends and news.
