It would all be different, we were promised. Rutte, Kaag, Hoekstra and Segers, the four leaders of the coalition, have been preaching openness and transparency for a year now. Away with the backrooms, away with the sneaky meetings. We can now know everything. Mark Rutte can remember everything, Sigrid Kaag acknowledges that the chaotic evacuation from Afghanistan failed due to her hesitating action and Hugo de Jonge says without detours that he brought in Sywert van Lienden because he could quickly obtain mouth caps.
It should be, but it never came to pass. Rutte still suffers from amnesia when it suits him, we never hear from Kaag about the different governance culture that she so ardently advocated, and Hugo de Jonge insists for a year that he has nothing to do with the controversial face mask deal – only the crowing of the rooster was still missing.
The white lies, the persistent denials, the faltering memory: a politician has never been better off. Halbe Zijlstra’s fantasy about Putin’s holiday home cost him his job, the secret deal with a drug criminal put an end to the political career of Minister Van der Steur, State Secretary Teeven and Chamber President Van Miltenburg, and Opstelten, who had resigned earlier, also had to be thrown into the dust. to bite.
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Government officials should know better. If Hugo de Jonge had said from the start that he was getting tired of nagging Van Lienden and only brought him in to get rid of the bullshit (‘inside pissing out is better than outside pissing in‘), all attention had been focused only on the fraud suspect Van Lienden, who claimed to work for free at high and low and then pocketed millions of tax dollars.
Life becomes a lot easier, and more enjoyable, if you just tell the truth. It can be painful for a while because you made a stupid mistake and have to apologize (without the ‘sincere’ prefix as De Jonge did – that’s an apology by definition), but after that you’re rid of the persistent questions from journalists and the constant going to the House of Representatives because you are summoned again. And you can usually go back to work.
This new administrative culture, which is eagerly awaited, must be created not only for members of the cabinet, but also for the House of Representatives. Parliament controls the cabinet, there should be no misunderstanding about that, but the way in which it is done is due for a thorough renovation. The opposition is hacking away, the chips are flying through the plenary hall, as if ministers only have bad intentions. The manners could use a little more level.
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Of the twenty parties, sixteen formally belong to the opposition – although you will not easily say that about the SGP – and they all rightly want to express their own opinion. But it often comes down to a repetition of moves. And there is nothing wrong with critically questioning the cabinet, but that does not always have to be done in a tone that suggests that the minister in question has gone mad or is really no good.
The coalition parties may also consult themselves. It is also their task to monitor the cabinet and, where necessary, to approach it critically. It is not the intention that coalition parties continuously protect government officials, which unfortunately happens too often. The performance of CDA MP Joba van den Berg in the debate with Hugo de Jonge was a mockery. Not a single critical note, just understanding and appreciation for fellow party member / minister De Jonge.
Even the minister was uncomfortable with it.
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