Premier Schoof Reaches Compromise on EU Rearmament Motion Amid Coalition Tensions
Coalition partners agree on partial implementation of a contentious motion regarding the European rearmament plan.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof has reached an agreement with coalition partners PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB regarding support for the European rearmament plan.
This development comes after a crisis atmosphere had emerged when Schoof indicated his reluctance to implement a motion on the rearmament of the EU that was supported by three of the four coalition parties.
On Thursday, urgent discussions were initiated at Schoof's Ministry of General Affairs in response to the tensions.
A compromise was reached where it was agreed that the motion would be implemented partially.
The Council of Ministers is expected to discuss this arrangement further on Friday.
The motion, introduced by JA21 member of parliament Joost Eerdmans, was narrowly accepted by the House of Representatives the previous Tuesday.
It calls upon the government not to agree to a European rearmament plan valued at €800 billion, with only the VVD voting against it; PVV, NSC, and BBB supported it.
The opposition parties objected to certain aspects of the rearmament plan, particularly the European Commission's proposal for joint borrowing which would see member states acting as guarantors.
The cabinet is opposed to the motion, largely because it would significantly limit Dick Schoof's negotiating power in Brussels.
He had already indicated support for the rearmament plan at a recently convened European summit prior to the motion's passage.
If the government were to backtrack in Brussels, it would isolate the Netherlands among EU leaders.
During the negotiations on Thursday, Schoof expressed his inability to accept the motion.
Efforts were made to interpret the motion in a manner that all parties could agree upon, although the scope for such a resolution was limited.
The language of the motion clearly states that the Netherlands is "principally" opposed to joint European loans and calls for the government to negotiate an opt-out from participating in the ReArm Europe initiative.
In recent days, tensions in The Hague have escalated, notably following Schoof's unexpected commitment of €3.5 billion in aid to Ukraine, which startled coalition partners in both the House and the cabinet.
Vice Prime Minister Fleur Agema (PVV) expressed her dissatisfaction, calling for a serious discussion with Schoof about the funding.
On Wednesday, Schoof faced questioning from Caroline van der Plas (BBB) and Geert Wilders (PVV) regarding this commitment.
The motion from Eerdmans has also raised concerns, as it is unusual for a cabinet to fail to implement passed motions, especially on principled grounds.
Parties like PVV, NSC, and BBB oppose the notion of joint debt in Europe, a contentious issue highlighted by Pieter Omtzigt (NSC) in the context of both the euro and the COVID-19 crisis.
Omtzigt reaffirmed his fundamental opposition to so-called ‘eurobonds’ in a recent voting statement.
This development comes after a crisis atmosphere had emerged when Schoof indicated his reluctance to implement a motion on the rearmament of the EU that was supported by three of the four coalition parties.
On Thursday, urgent discussions were initiated at Schoof's Ministry of General Affairs in response to the tensions.
A compromise was reached where it was agreed that the motion would be implemented partially.
The Council of Ministers is expected to discuss this arrangement further on Friday.
The motion, introduced by JA21 member of parliament Joost Eerdmans, was narrowly accepted by the House of Representatives the previous Tuesday.
It calls upon the government not to agree to a European rearmament plan valued at €800 billion, with only the VVD voting against it; PVV, NSC, and BBB supported it.
The opposition parties objected to certain aspects of the rearmament plan, particularly the European Commission's proposal for joint borrowing which would see member states acting as guarantors.
The cabinet is opposed to the motion, largely because it would significantly limit Dick Schoof's negotiating power in Brussels.
He had already indicated support for the rearmament plan at a recently convened European summit prior to the motion's passage.
If the government were to backtrack in Brussels, it would isolate the Netherlands among EU leaders.
During the negotiations on Thursday, Schoof expressed his inability to accept the motion.
Efforts were made to interpret the motion in a manner that all parties could agree upon, although the scope for such a resolution was limited.
The language of the motion clearly states that the Netherlands is "principally" opposed to joint European loans and calls for the government to negotiate an opt-out from participating in the ReArm Europe initiative.
In recent days, tensions in The Hague have escalated, notably following Schoof's unexpected commitment of €3.5 billion in aid to Ukraine, which startled coalition partners in both the House and the cabinet.
Vice Prime Minister Fleur Agema (PVV) expressed her dissatisfaction, calling for a serious discussion with Schoof about the funding.
On Wednesday, Schoof faced questioning from Caroline van der Plas (BBB) and Geert Wilders (PVV) regarding this commitment.
The motion from Eerdmans has also raised concerns, as it is unusual for a cabinet to fail to implement passed motions, especially on principled grounds.
Parties like PVV, NSC, and BBB oppose the notion of joint debt in Europe, a contentious issue highlighted by Pieter Omtzigt (NSC) in the context of both the euro and the COVID-19 crisis.
Omtzigt reaffirmed his fundamental opposition to so-called ‘eurobonds’ in a recent voting statement.
