Anyone who had any hope that Prime Minister Rutte would firmly put on the fine in his interrogation about the benefits affair will be disappointed: the VVD member indicated that he was in charge, but did not think that any consequences should be drawn. At most, he is somewhat sorry.
Why Mark Rutte has been Prime Minister of the Netherlands for more than ten years? Simple: it has no backbone. He talks with everyone, but more importantly: he slips under and in between everywhere.
That became clear today, when the prime minister was questioned in the parliamentary questionnaire about the benefits affair that has duped and often completely ruined thousands of parents. Rutte knew exactly the right mix of penance, trivialization, blaming guilt and shrugging shoulders to ensure that he does not become the biggest news story of the day.
You would almost be in awe of it, except that you know it from a bloodthirsty Tax and Customs Administration who eventually falls under to be ultimate leadership has allowed countless people to be pushed into personal bankruptcy. But then, Rutte regretted not having tackled the benefits system and “cannot condone” that the Tax and Customs Administration had interpreted his call to crack down on possible fraud as a carte blanche to terrorize innocent parents. So we got this:
“In his closing words, Rutte said he was especially ashamed that the allowance system has still not changed in the ten years that he has been in the Torentje. Attempts to change the system have failed time and again, while thousands of parents have inadvertently ended up ‘between the wheels of the government’. Rutte said he was touched by this: “In the eyes of the country, I am the boss of the stuff. I can’t run away from that. ” And so he reiterated the apologies he made to the victims in January this year.
“We must ensure that people never come between the wheels of the system.” Just like all those other ex-ministers who went to confession this week, Rutte thinks that precisely that has happened ‘terrible’. But he does not draw political consequences from that. ”
And the Netherlands? Yes, we will all swallow it again. Are too busy eating popcorn and watching the self-destruction at Forum for Democracy. And in the meantime, Mark Rutte wins his fourth consecutive election victory, again with two fingers in his nose.
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