Tag Archives: The Netherlands

The formation of a new government has degenerated into total chaos due to the blunder with a secret memo last week: Kajsa Ollongren (D66) and Annemarie Jorritsma (VVD) stepped up as scouts, yesterday they already shared some secret reports with parliament, this morning at the request of the House of Representatives, a further dozen pages were published, partly handwritten, by scouts and officials.

These notes show that Rutte was upset with a reluctant CDA. In Rutte’s conversation with the scouts, the prime minister states that he hopes the party will “recover”: “You probably need them. It gets very complicated without the CDA. More time may be needed. If Wopke has more votes than Omtzigt, that will help. ” Then follows the sentence: “You have to make something with Omtzigt: minister.”

Incidentally, this is stated in the typed text of the conversation with Rutte. It is slightly different in the handwritten original. It says “CDA: you have to do something with Omtzigt: minister”.

According to Rutte, he would “not attract” a cabinet with PvdA and GroenLinks. Why that left cloud? You don’t need them both for a majority next to the CDA. Continue reading →