It is also not yet clear who will lead the troops in the other parties. According to Akkerman, it is clear to the VVD that it will be Rutte and otherwise Dilan Yesilgöz (Justice and Security) or Edith Schippers. “At D66 the question is whether Kaag will continue,” says Akkerman, who points out that otherwise Rob Jetten or Jan Paternotte are possible options. At ChristenUnie, current party leader Mirjam Bikker appears to have the best papers, even if he doesn’t want to preempt it.
At the PVV and the BBB things are clear, there will be Geert Wilders and Caroline van der Plas. According to Akkerman, the electoral campaign has begun and today the opposition will present a motion of no confidence against Mark Rutte. Whether that has a chance of success depends on which coalition partner votes with the opposition. “The left wants an interim business prime minister, but needs at least one of the coalition parties to pull the plug.” Then? Then, according to Akkerman, there’s the risk of “a big musical chair to keep up with the outgoing period.” It is unclear how desirable this is for coalition parties.”
On the left, a referendum will be held next week between members of GroenLinks and PvdA on the joint participation of both parties in the elections. But who will be the party leader is also the big question: Kuiken, Klaver or someone from outside. Akkerman hears Timmermans’ name regularly and notes that Amsterdam alderman Marjolein Moorman is extraordinarily active on Twitter.
Is the country at a standstill? On important files, yes. “The House of Representatives will declare a number of topics controversial. This means that a new policy will not be made, that less money will be spent on it, that there will be no new debates about it. And then we are talking about the nitrogen dossier, and probably also about housing and the migration dossier. “The country is at a standstill for now”.