There is a crisis atmosphere in the House of Representatives committee that is preparing the parliamentary inquiry into the corona crisis. MPs Pepijn van Houwelingen (Forum for Democracy) and Wybren van Haga (BVNL) have made it impossible for themselves, according to several committee members, due to their behavior and “biased” public positions on corona. Part of the committee wants to ask the two to resign in the next committee meeting, next Monday, because of the “unworkable situation”. If they refuse to go, other committee members threaten to leave.
The corona committee started its work in September and planned to present a research proposal this spring. At the start, according to several committee members, it was agreed to be “reticent” when expressing party political views on corona. “It is not appropriate to express preconceived views or prejudices, that affects the credibility and integrity of the committee,” says a committee member. Participating in corona debates by members of the committee of inquiry is also not appropriate because they must remain neutral, many members believe.
Nazi flag
According to committee members, Van Houwelingen and Van Haga are acting contrary to those agreements. Last week alone, FVD member Van Houwelingen was a guest on both the TV program Ongehoord Nieuws and the YouTube program Café Weltschmerz to suggest a direct link between the excess mortality of recent years and the vaccination campaigns. At the end of September, shortly after the start of the committee, Van Houwelingen aroused the horror of his colleagues by editing a photo in such a way that it looked as if Minister of Health Ernst Kuipers (D66) was hoisting a Nazi flag.
Wybren van Haga unpleasantly surprised the other committee members this week by participating in the parliamentary debate in which the OVV report on the first corona wave was discussed. Other MPs from the committee of inquiry, including Van Houwelingen, deliberately did not do so in order to be able to do their work in the committee without prejudice. Van Haga already concluded in a very critical contribution that, as far as he is concerned, the corona policy was “unfounded, unconstitutional and nonsensical”. This performance was “the final straw” for some members of the inquiry committee, says one person involved.
According to insiders, the committee members have been feeling “very uncomfortable” for some time with the behavior and statements of Van Houwelingen and Van Haga, especially when they went on a working visit to hospitals, for example. “These are people who completely deny the seriousness of the matter and want to abuse the committee to throw crazy texts into the world,” says one person involved.
According to a number of committee members, Van Houwelingen and Van Haga have been called to account for their behavior several times. “It has been discussed many times, but nothing changes,” says one member. As a result, it would no longer be possible to continue the collaboration and to present a research proposal in unison as a committee.
Pepijn van Houwelingen (FVD) does not want to respond to the allegations. “The agreement is that we do not say anything to the outside world.” This also applies to Wybren van Haga. “If colleagues have problems with me, I will hear that in confidence at the meeting on Monday.”
Deadlock looms
If Van Houwelingen and Van Haga refuse to leave the committee, an impasse threatens. The other members – in addition to acting committee chairman Mariëlle Paul (VVD) are Nicki Pouw-Verweij (JA21), Marijke van Beukering-Huijbregts (D66), Hilde Palland (CDA), Vicky Maeijer (PVV) and the independent MPs Liane den Haan and Pieter Omtzigt – can then choose to resign, which in practice would mean the end of the committee. Van Houwelingen and Van Haga cannot formally be expelled from the committee by Mariëlle Paul or Speaker of the House of Representatives Vera Bergkamp (D66).
If the corona committee falls apart, a new preparatory committee will have to be formed and the parliamentary inquiry will most likely be greatly delayed. The committee was already under tension after the resignation of chairman Khadija Arib. She left after the Presidium had launched an investigation into reports of possible transgressive behavior by Arib during her time as President of the House.
#Crisis #atmosphere #corona #committee #position #Van #Houwelingen #Van #Haga #discussion