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Arib wants to keep talking to angry protesters: ‘But that is not always possible’

It mainly concerns people who oppose the corona measures.

‘All hopes for politics’

Arib’s task as chairman in these troubled times is ‘quite complicated’, she says in the talk show De Vooravond. “People want to see perspective, see hope. They watch debates in the House of Representatives en masse because they want to see and hear their representatives of the people. All hope is somewhat placed on politics, so you also feel that pressure in the House of Representatives.”


The work of the House of Representatives is now extra important, says Arib. For example, the President of the House has filed a complaint after demonstrators continued to chase and berate CDA MP Pieter Omtzigt.

Burn letter

Two weeks ago, Arib wrote an urgent letter to Mayor Jan van Zanen of The Hague, because she felt that the number of demonstrations in front of the House of Representatives, which were sometimes perceived as intimidating by MPs, should be curtailed. For example, MPs had to leave the building several times through the back entrance, or had to be guarded before they could safely exit.


“MPs must be free to do their work,” says Arib. She emphasizes that the Netherlands has ‘the most open parliament in the world’: “People can come in, MPs are approachable.”


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