NSC is suspending formation talks with PVV, VVD and BBB and does not want to form a majority government with those parties. That was the outcome of hours of deliberation by the twenty-member House of Representatives faction on Tuesday evening.
In a letter to its members, NSC writes that it is “very shocked” by an inquiry from ministries about expected “real financial setbacks and risks.” It concerns about twenty letters from ministries “with (partly confidential) information about the state of public finances” that were only sent to the forming parties on Monday afternoon.
The party writes that there are “different financial expectations for the coming years” and that it “under no circumstances wants to make promises to Dutch people, which it knows in advance are empty promises that cannot be kept during the coming cabinet period.” ” Omtzigt thus appears to accuse the other parties of having submitted unaffordable plans.
Constitution and fundamental rights
It is noteworthy that the reason for NSC to no longer hold talks is of a financial nature. Since the beginning of the formation, there have been major doubts in the faction about cooperation with the PVV. The guiding principle in this, and also in Omtzigt's communication after the elections, was the question of whether the Constitution and fundamental rights are in good hands with the PVV. During the campaign, Omtzigt had repeatedly pointed out plans in the election manifesto that conflict with freedom of religion.
In order to participate at all in the current formation round, NSC set the condition that the four parties that sat down together would first investigate whether “a common baseline” can be found for guaranteeing the Constitution, fundamental rights and the rule of law. Only then could further discussions about other themes take place. NSC soon abandoned that condition. And now it appears that this is not the reason to stop the talks.
The letter from NSC also makes it clear that the faction is not satisfied with the information provided by informant Ronald Plasterk. “After insistence, NSC only received an overview of the letters from the ministries that had been received by email from the informant at the end of the afternoon yesterday.” The letters were said to have been delivered to Plasterk by the ministries earlier (“between January 23 and 31”). According to NSC, Plasterk did not immediately share this with the forming parties. And that while the parties “discussed, among other things, the financial situation in recent weeks.”
That accusation “is really not correct,” said informant Ronald Plasterk later in the evening on Tuesday. “A bit of nonsense,” he called it. Although he also said that he had received the information last week and had shared it with the parties “within a few days”.
Plasterk, who was visibly irritated, said he was “a little surprised” by NSC's decision. He spoke of “a confusing story that I have heard so far” from the party. He was unable to answer the question whether the formation has now collapsed. “I actually don't think so. At least, that is not Mr Omtzigt's choice of words.” NSC does not write this directly in the member letter, the party only states that it is “awaiting” Plasterk's final report.
'Look deep into the eyes'
Earlier in the day, Plasterk had asked NSC leader Pieter Omtzigt, Geert Wilders (PVV), Dilan Yesilgöz (VVD) and Caroline van der Plas (NSC) to sit together with the four of them and “look deep into each other's eyes.” to see” to decide “whether there is any prospect of forming a coalition”. On Tuesday morning, Omtzigt had said that the talks were “going normally”. The parties met at the Ministry of Justice and Security to discuss without the informant present. Omtzigt left that conversation at one point to talk to his group. Hours later the letter to members arrived. Informant Plasterk had to hear about the decision, he said on Tuesday evening, via an app message.
Plasterk will present his final report no later than next Monday, and later in the week the House of Representatives will debate it in his presence. And then, Plasterk said, he will provide “all the answers to all the questions.”
The parties with which Omtzigt was in discussions until Tuesday reacted with surprise to X. PVV leader Geert Wilders wrote: “Unbelievably disappointing. The Netherlands wants this cabinet and now Pieter Omtzigt is throwing in the towel while we were still in discussions until today. I don't understand it at all.”
Different wording
“This is astonishing,” wrote BBB leader Caroline van der Plas. She calls it “a total surprise.” “While we were talking constructively in a good atmosphere until today.” VVD member Yesilgöz also wrote that he was “very surprised”. “Hope we can sit down soon to hear what exactly is going on here.”
It is unclear whether there will actually be a conversation between the parties. Plasterk hopes so, he would like to discuss NSC's withdrawal on Wednesday – “at least if they all come.” The fact that he is not sure about this became apparent when the Cabinet Formation Spokesperson Office sent out the planning. It normally states that the informateur would 'receive' the party leaders of PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB the next day. This time a different wording was chosen: he had “invited” them.
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