The summary dismissal of CDA State Secretary Mona Keijzer (Economic Affairs and Climate) on Saturday, Mark Rutte, goes against the rules of procedure of the Council of Ministers. Something like that really only fits in a presidential system. That says former CDA member Pieter Omtzigt, who now forms a one-man faction in the House of Representatives.
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Apparently a Prime Minister can pick up the phone and fire ministers and secretaries of state without a cabinet decision. Alone, by phone. But that’s strange,” Omtzigt said in a tweet. “The regulations are clear: the Prime Minister may propose resignation, but it is up to the Council of Ministers to deliberate and decide. So that didn’t happen.”
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According to the Government Information Service (RVD) on Saturday, Rutte ‘with the consent of the Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate, and after consultation with the three deputy prime ministers’ nominated Keijzer for dismissal, with immediate effect. King Willem-Alexander subsequently dismissed the outgoing State Secretary ‘in the most honorable way’.
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Pieter Omtzigt @PieterOmtzigt
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collision course
Keijzer was fired by the Prime Minister on Saturday because she had expressed her reservations about the introduction of the corona ticket. That was wrong with the government. “A reckless act,” said a coalition source.
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In the past year, the state secretary has more often indicated that he is not satisfied with measures against corona that hit the business community hard. In the end, however, she always continued to publicly support cabinet policy.
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style
It is not yet known what Keijzer will do. She has not yet responded to her resignation. Her party is also silent. Keijzer has been elected for the CDA in the House of Representatives. Party leader Wopke Hoekstra says he regrets the course of events.
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Keijzer entered the House of Representatives in 2012, after she surprisingly finished second behind Sybrand Buma in the party leader elections. She then took charge of the heavy portfolio care in the group.
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In 2017 she became State Secretary in the Rutte III cabinet of VVD, CDA, D66 and ChristenUnie. It is quite unique that she was fired by the Prime Minister. The last time this happened in 1975. Then D66 state secretary Jan Glastra van Loon of Justice was fired after a fight with his minister Dries van Agt.
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Keijzer’s resignation means the departure of an eleventh minister from Rutte’s third cabinet.
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