PVV Deputy Prime Minister Fleur Agema is backtracking from her statement that she still wants to see who is “so tough” to stop the state emergency law. “I shouldn’t have done that,” said Agema. The PVV minister emphasizes that she has respect for parliament. She spoke about this after the cabinet meeting with Prime Minister Dick Schoof.
“If the state emergency law comes into effect, I would like to see who is brave enough to stop it,” Agema told the press on Friday morning. Afterwards she emphasizes that she should not have responded to an if-then question. “I have the utmost respect for both Houses.” She had wanted to say that she had unwavering faith in her fellow minister Marjolein Faber, who must come up with a ‘supporting motivation’ that justifies resorting to emergency law.
‘First Chamber was premature’
Although Agema tones down her statement, she says it was not meant to be threatening. “I’m not the type to make threats.” She only believes that the Senate is premature with the call to abandon the route via emergency law. The Senate emphasized that it felt compelled to come up with the motion, because Prime Minister Dick Schoof indicated that he had already opted for this and was not yet investigating an alternative.
Leader Frans Timmermans of the largest opposition party GroenLinks-PvdA took advantage of the statements to ask Schoof urgent questions. “I expect the Prime Minister to distance himself from this threat on behalf of the Cabinet.”
