Kajsa Ollongren heading for her car with the notes clearly visible. Photo by Bart Maat via DutchNews.nl.
THE HAGUE--The two people charged with kick-starting coalition negotiations have resigned after one – Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Kajsa Ollongren of centrist party D66 – accidentally leaked her private notes to reporters as she left Parliament on Thursday.
Ollongren and Annemarie Jorritsma, who are leading the talks on behalf of right-wing party VVD, were due to meet Prime Minister Mark Rutte and D66 leader Sigrid Kaag on Thursday morning, to brief them on their findings thus far. However, the talks were abruptly halted when Ollongren learned she had tested positive for COVID-19 and left immediately.
Eagle-eyed reporters noticed that her notes were visible under her arm in a Dutch news agency ANP photograph.
When the picture was magnified the words “position Omtzigt … job elsewhere” could be clearly read. This is a reference to popular Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) Member of Parliament (MP) Pieter Omtzigt who has been highly critical of the outgoing coalition, particularly its role in the Tax Office benefits scandal.
The document also states that “left-wing parties are not completely stuck together,” which possibly refers to suggestions that labour party PvdA could be invited to join a new cabinet. PvdA leader Lilianne Ploumen has said publicly she does not want PvdA to be the only left-wing party in the coalition.
The document also states that majority support in the First Chamber of the Dutch Parliament is not a must for any of the parties, and questions the negotiating style of CDA leader Wopke Hoesktra and his future cabinet role.
Hoekstra responded to the leaks on Twitter, describing them as “bizarre”.
The reference to Omtzigt, who is currently at home due to overwork, has particularly stepped on political toes, with MPs from across the political spectrum calling for an explanation.
In their resignation statement, Ollongren and Jorritsma said the notes were meant as input for the next round of talks, and did not reflect the discussions which had already been held.
Minister for Medical Care Tamara van Ark (VVD) and Minister of Social Affairs and Employment Wouter Koolmees (D66) are taking over as “scouts” of behalf of the two parties, which emerged as the biggest in last week’s general election. The job of a scout is to talk with the various parliamentary party leaders and map out a possible coalition for the next cabinet.
Ollongren is now quarantining at home. Before stepping down, Jorritsma informed all 17 party leaders who met with her and Ollongren this week that they will have to get tested for COVID-19. Jorritsma will also be tested in five days unless she starts showing symptoms earlier.
According to the Dutch coronavirus measures, the party leaders do not have to quarantine. This is only necessary if they did not maintain social distancing during their contact with Ollongren. Social distancing was maintained at all times during Monday and Tuesday’s meetings with party leaders, said Jorritsma.
Several party leaders decided to rather play it safe and quarantine at home while they wait to be tested. Ploumen cancelled all her appointments for the coming days, her spokesperson said to ANP. Sylvana Simons of BIJ1 did the same.
Rutte tested negative on Wednesday, government information service RVD said on Thursday. He and the other cabinet members were advised to get tested because they had contact with State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy Mona Keijzer – who tested positive earlier this week – at the Council of Ministers on Friday.
Ollongren’s positive results came from this preventative test.
In November 2020, State Secretary for Defence Barbara Visser was the first member of the cabinet to contract the virus.
