Not the Omtzigt issue, not the nitrogen crisis, but the reception problem ultimately turned out to be the obstacle that killed the Rutte IV cabinet. And that’s not really surprising, says political journalist Mats Akkerman. “It actually started after the election victory of the VVD in 2021.”
For example, the formation of the fourth Rutte cabinet went down in the books as the longest formation in the history of the Netherlands, lasting 299 days. However, because the Omtzigt scandal came into play.
Former scout Kajsa Ollongren was photographed – at a hurried trot – with papers that read “Omtzigt works elsewhere”, which was widely reported in the media. “Rutte replied that Omtzigt had not been discussed, but he had to come back to it later.”
Dust
And how. Rutte had to go through the dust in the House, resulting in a vote of no confidence. “I’ve been speaking to the press to the best of my knowledge,” Rutte said at the time. “About what I thought I said and didn’t say to the scouts. In retrospect I remembered that he was wrong, and I deeply regret it.’
“In hindsight I remembered it was wrong, and I deeply regret it”
After nine months, however, a cabinet was formed, which was of the same composition as the Rutte III cabinet; VVD, D66, CDA and Christian Union. “It started in corona time and after a few months those measures were already said goodbye,” says Akkerman. “Other problems have stalled the country again.”
Nitrogen problem
And those problems were persistent, they kept playing tricks on the toilet. Like the nitrogen problem. Akkerman knows that this topic has been the subject of several discussions within the coalition. ‘Including an interview with CDA party leader Wopke Hoekstra, who said the agreed year to achieve the goals was not sacred. Much to the displeasure of the opposition.”
The cabinet then tried to reach an agricultural agreement and make deals on the future for farms, but failed. Even convicted, according to PvdA leader Attje Kuiken. ‘Radical ranchers and big agricultural interests have held our country hostage for years,’ he said.
Groningen
Another big headache for the outgoing cabinet was gas drilling in Groningen, Akkerman says. Especially since for a long time too little attention was paid to the residents of Groningen themselves, for which the cabinet apologized. “But that’s not what the government killed,” Akkerman continues. “That was the reception of refugees. The coalition parties want to control the number of asylum seekers arriving in the Netherlands, but the VVD and the CDA are demanding a much tougher policy than D66 and ChristenUnie.’
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And those very differences have proved too great to bridge. While the VVD aimed to limit the influx – as requested by supporters – the ChristenUnie still had a “hangover” from the previous asylum deal, political journalist Leendert Beekman told the BNR earlier. “In the end the cabinet failed to reach an agreement and after a year and a half of the government it really fell,” concludes Akkerman.
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.
