TUESDAY, 28
MAY 2024 - 17:48
https://nltimes.nl/2024/05/28/pm-dick-schoof-says-will-represent-dutch-people-wont-join-pvv
As PM, Dick Schoof says he will represent all
Dutch people, but he won't join PVV
Long-time
security and counter-terrorism official Dick Schoof confirmed rumors on
Tuesday, and acknowledged that he has been asked to be the next leader of the
Netherlands. He said repeatedly during a press conference that he intends to be
a leader for the entire country, and he will remain "partyless" and
will not join a political party. Traditionally, the prime minister is chosen as
a member of the largest party in a coalition, which is the far-right PVV led by
Geert Wilders, but Schoof said he will not be dragged to an extremist stance.
Schoof
could take office as early as June 26, the soft deadline set by the formateur
leading the formation of the Cabinet, Richard van Zwol. Schoof was a member of
the PvdA for many years, but recently resigned from the left-wing Dutch Labour
party. He will represent the new right-wing coalition consisting of the PVV,
the VVD, the party of current Prime Minister Mark Rutte, and two political
newcomers, the BBB and NSC.
"For
me, this is a very intense moment. I never would have expected to be asked; to
stand here is an honor. It's very special, and I'm well-aware that the prime
minister of the Netherlands is an intense job," he said during the press
conference.
He rejected
the premise that he could wind up in a power struggle with Wilders, who had to
give up his own dream of becoming prime minister when it was clear that was a
roadblock to the formation of a new Cabinet. "There is only one prime
minister and only one leader of the PVV." He noted that VVD leader Dilan
Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, the current Minister of Justice and Security, also wanted
the job. Instead, she will take a seat leading the VVD from the Tweede Kamer,
the lower house of Parliament. Wilders will also remain there, as will BBB
leader Caroline van der Plas and NSC leader Pieter Omtzigt.
Schoof
acknowledged many others were surprised that he would be asked to take the job.
"I thought about this intensely," he said, including deep
conversations with his family about the job offer. He expressed his
appreciation for the coalition agreement put forward by the four parties,
saying it is "an excellent program for all Dutch people."
He noted
that it is "ambitious," and said that he shared the concerns of
immigration, asylum and refugee issues, social security, the standing of all
citizens "including farmers," and international security. The new
right-wing coalition presented their “main lines agreement” after 175 days of
talks.
Voters are
generally satisfied with the coalition agreement but have concerns about the
upcoming Cabinet’s ability to implement it. Opposition parties are very
critical of the agreement, describing it as “disastrous” and filled with
fantasies.
The
agreement includes plans to sharply reduce the number of people seeking asylum
in the Netherlands, tackle the housing shortage, and improve the business
climate, among other things. These plans will be paid for through various tax
hikes and budget cuts, including raising the VAT on books, concerts, and
sporting event tickets from 9 to 21 percent.
Schoof is
currently the highest official at the Ministry of Justice security and
previously led the intelligence service AIVD, counter-terrorism agency NCTV,
and immigration service IND. That gives him experience in two of the spearheads
in the right-wing coalition's “main lines agreement” - implementing the
“strictest asylum policy yet” and upping the fight against organized crime.
The Tweede
Kamer gave Van Zwol five weeks to select Ministers and State Secretaries for
the four right-wing parties’ extra-parliamentary Cabinet. The parties agreed
that about half of the Cabinet members would not be politicians from the
coalition parties but experts from the field. He has just over four weeks left
to form this Cabinet.
It was an
open secret that PVV leader Geert Wilders wanted to nominate Ronald Plasterk
(PvdA) to be Prime Minister, but Plasterk made himself unavailable due to
allegations of patent fraud against him. The PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB leaders
have been discussing possible candidates for the job with formateur Richard van
Zwol since last week.
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