Outgoing Secretary of State Van der Burg wants to convince the Senate on January 16 that it is important to pass the distribution bill. In a debate held in the House of Representatives, he pointed out that this law is still urgently needed to solve the problems in accepting refugees in the short term.
For the first time after the elections, Van der Burg spoke to the House of Representatives, which now includes other parties that want to significantly stop the influx of refugees. He said the outcome was not helpful “in the sense that people, including the administration, now expect a series of steps to be taken very quickly to limit the influx.” But even if the cabinet is there very quickly, we have more. “There is a need for places so people don’t have to sleep outside at this time of year.”
The distribution law aims to force municipalities to contribute to the reception of refugees when necessary. The maximum number of 2,000 people at the Ter Apel reception center has been exceeded for weeks. According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the reason for this is that municipalities wait until after the elections. Luckily, he said, some people are now crossing the bridge and the situation is less “terrible” than it was a few weeks ago, when people had to sleep in chairs at night. “But we’re not there yet.”
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Last week, Yeşilgöz, Van der Burg’s party colleague as VVD leader, called on the cabinet and the Senate to take a stand. This caused a stir and then a weakened, symbolic motion was finally passed in which the VVD, PVV, NSC and BBB expressed their desire that the distribution law not be introduced for the time being. In this context, the Cabinet and the Senate are no longer directly addressed. This proposal was accepted with the support of SGP, FvD and JA21.
Like Van der Burg, Yeşilgöz currently wears “two hats”: You are not only a minister but also a member of parliament. Yeşilgöz also participates in the discussions between the informant Plasterk and the four signatories of the proposal as party leader.
Yesterday, the Senate decided to take up the apportionment bill as usual, right after the Christmas recess. It’s not clear yet whether he’ll get there. Besides VVD, PVV and BBB (NSC is not yet represented in the Senate as a new party), JA21, FvD and SGP are also expected to vote against the distribution bill. Together they do not have a majority.
Prime Minister Rutte and Deputy Prime Minister Kaag announced last week that the outgoing cabinet continues to support legislation that will distribute refugees fairly across the country. Minister of State Van der Burg said in today’s debate that he would defend his legislation as a member of this Cabinet. He really hopes that happens because, in his opinion, there really is no alternative in the short term.
This morning it was revealed that EU member states and the European Parliament have agreed on a migration deal aimed at limiting the flow of migrants into Europe. Van der Burg is “extremely pleased” with this, but points out that the new rules will not come into force until 2026.
Source: NOS
Emma Fitzgerald is an accomplished political journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in political science and international relations, she has a deep understanding of the political landscape and the forces that shape it.
