VPROArib in Zomergasten
NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 00:47
Former parliamentary chairman Kadija Arib says “to this day” she still does not know exactly what she is being accused of. In the VPRO program Summer guests her departure from last year was discussed. Arib resigned in October after allegations of misconduct.
Arib was in the House of Representatives for 24 years. She was chairman between 2016 and 2021. At the end of September last year, it was leaked that the daily board of the House (the presidium) was investigating her for transgressive behavior during her presidency.
The Presidium – the Board of the House – had received two anonymous letters. The picture emerged from this that under Arib there may have been “a very unsafe working environment” for civil servants. She allegedly abused her position and belittled people.
In October last year, Arib immediately spoke of a “stab by current Chamber President Bergkamp” and of “attacks on my dignity”. In Summer guests she repeated the criticism of the investigation and the criticism of Bergkamp, the current Speaker of the House of Representatives. According to Arib, she was “thrown in front of a train” while the investigation is still incomplete and has yielded nothing. She spoke of a “huge circus” set up by Bergkamp while “after almost a year she still does not know what the exact allegations entail”. According to Arib, things had “never turned out this way” under chairmen such as Verbeet or Weisglas. “Bergkamp had no authority to start this investigation like this,” said Arib. Arib also says that documents were already collected before her departure while she was still a member of parliament. “I just want those pieces.”
Reorganization
According to Arib, the assignment she received to reorganize the official organization of the Chamber played an important role. Summer guestspresenter Theo Maassen asked, among other things, whether it was possible that people sometimes had more difficulty dealing with Arib than she herself realized. Arib said he couldn’t say that because “so far everything has been reported anonymously”.
Arib also said that he had never “thrown doors” or “screamed at anyone”. Last year, there was unrest in the House about the investigation into Arib. After Bergkamp made various promises about the research design in a heated debate on behalf of the presidium, she was critical fractions the benefit of the doubt and the investigation could continue .
Formally, the presidium, the executive board of the House consisting of eight MPs, does not need permission for this, but Bergkamp needed support after all the fuss.
Still a member of the Labor Party
It is still unclear when the investigation into Arib will be completed, a spokesperson told NOS at the beginning of July.
In Summer guests Arib further hinted that she is not thinking of returning to the House of Representatives or the Cabinet. But “politics is broader than the Chamber or a party,” says Arib, without specifying what her plans could be in that area.
Arib is still a member of the PvdA. “Many members support that party. I have had a lot of support from the members and I am still a member out of loyalty to them.” Arib has received support in recent months not only from party members, but also from wider society. She said she didn’t know if she would have been able to survive without that support.
2023-08-06 22:47:37
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