3 months Ago
BBB leader Caroline van der Plas said late on Sunday night that there are enough candidates for the party to fill the positions. “All my effort is dedicated to that. We have to do it as fast as we can,” she said on television.
VVD Minister Ruben Brekelmans, now responsible for Defense and temporarily managing Foreign Affairs, also said that it should be made “clear by Wednesday how we want to proceed in a constructive manner.” He is reportedly to have said he would prefer to remain at the Ministry of Defense.
Consultations Underway
Prime Minister Dick Schoof met leaders of the VVD and BBB over the weekend. Schoof will deputize with other Deputy Prime Ministers on Monday to decide who gets what role, Brekelmans said. But he stressed that new Cabinet members would not be unveiled on Wednesday, explaining that vetting is a time consuming process. “I feel a fair degree of willingness on both sides,” he said.
Disputes Over NSC’s Exit
Veldkamp, who stepped down on Friday, said he was unable to take “sufficiently meaningful additional measures” against Israel and that he was too constrained in trying to follow his own foreign policy course. Both Brekelmans and Van der Plas said his resignation was not warranted, as cabinet consultations had gone well.
Verdict of NSC leader Eddy van Hijum: “It was more of a twelve-round boxing match.” The resignation and pullout were no surprise, he said, noting that he had informed Prime Minister Schoof that the matter was very sensitive for his party. Van Hijum is set to return to parliament before the elections on Oct. 29 and will play a “constructive” role, though the timing is yet unclear, according to reports.
