Cabinet parries corona criticism: ‘Work hard this summer’ | Inland

In the garden of the Catshuis, the prime minister’s official residence, the ministers exchanged their holiday experiences with the press on their annual ‘away day’. In the preparation for the new political year, the ministers dressed themselves as usual in informal clothing. For example, under Prime Minister Rutte’s jeans, the well-known orange All Star sneakers appeared and Minister Van Ark (Medical Care) sighed that every time she walked in sneakers she wondered why she actually still puts on heels.

Only Minister De Jonge (Public Health) had not adhered to the dress code and appeared in a full suit including his notoriously striking shoes. The only concession was an absence of the tie. “He has yet to do the press conference,” said education minister Slob.

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Minister Hugo de Jonge (Health, Welfare and Sport) did appear in a suit. However, the tie was omitted.

Ⓒ Dutch Height / ANP

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He had to admit that he had handled the appointments at his ministry in the morning in a more formal way and that he had quickly changed for the trip to the Catshuis. In contrast to ministers Hoekstra (Finance) and Koolmees (Social Affairs) and State Secretary Vijlbrief (Finance), who had also done the introductory shelling for next year’s budget in their casual clothes prior to the away day.

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Minister Ferd Grapperhaus (Justice and Security) was clearly in his element.

Ⓒ Dutch Height / ANP

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Where on the annual away day people usually play happily about the casual outfits, the tone was more serious this year. For example, due to the new advance of the corona virus, the question is increasingly raised as to whether the government has not let the attention fall slightly this summer.

Beirut

“There is nothing you can do about such an image,” said Slob. But according to the ministers, it was out of the question: we had worked hard this summer. Minister Blok (Foreign Affairs) summed up what had happened in his department: the Euro Summit, the Beirut disaster, the conditions in Belarus: “I haven’t had a day without calling or emailing.”

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Group photo of the cabinet in the garden of the Catshuis.

Ⓒ Dutch Height / ANP

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Throughout the summer, State Secretary Knops had two hours of video consultation every morning about the new support package for Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, which is still not available. And Van Ark, promoted to health care minister just before the summer, had made an effort to get to know her new officials and ‘the people in the field’ as soon as possible before they went on vacation. “I had circled four weeks in the calendar for vacation, but it didn’t really happen.”

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