Dick Schoof’s debut as Prime Minister in the Lower House was marred by divisions in his cabinet. His Deputy Prime Minister Fleur Agema (PVV) undermined Schoof’s conciliatory words regarding wearing a headscarf. A reprimand for Agema followed, but might not conceal how fragile trust in and within the cabinet is.
The debate regarding the headscarf flared up considerably in the Lower House during the first debate of Prime Minister Dick Schoof. Almost thirty years following Pim Fortuyn’s plea once morest ‘the Islamization of our culture’ and more than fifteen years following Wilders’ proposal for a ‘headscarf tax’. Remarks by PVV ministers Fleur Agema and Marjolijn Faber caused a stir once more.
After her swearing-in as Minister of Asylum and Migration, Faber had said that she was not a fan of headscarves. Agema believed that a person is only truly free when the headscarf is taken off. This caused concerns among the left-wing opposition regarding civil servants wearing a so-called hijab and they pointed to an old tweet by Faber that fellow MP Esmah Lahlah (GroenLinks-PvdA) had called a ‘PvdA headscarf’.
‘You are just a human being to me’
Schoof addressed Lahlah directly in a response. ‘The fact that you are wearing a headscarf makes no difference to me. You are just a human being to me.’ Lahlah did not actually participate in the debate, but gave her opinion through a personal statement. She said that it is a ‘personal, conscious and free choice’ to wear a headscarf. ‘It is an expression of my identity, of my faith, of my strength, of my self-determination.’
Wilders then took the criticism of the PVV ministers to himself. He called Schoof ‘weak’ because of his words to Lahlah. CDA faction leader Henri Bontenbal had to support Schoof. VVD leader Dilan Yesilgoz and NSC leader Pieter Omtzigt remained silent on the benches of the House. Later, on X, they expressed their disapproval of Wilders’ remark.
The Chamber showed its worst side this morning. On the one hand, a section of the opposition that shouts over itself. And on the other hand, Wilders who has just fulfilled his role as leader of the largest party irresponsibly.
This kind of behavior is…
— Dilan Yesilgöz – Zegerius (@DilanYesilgoz) July 4, 2024
Agema brings debate to a head
And that wasn’t all. In the followingnoon, Deputy Prime Minister Fleur Agema (PVV) posted a tweet with two images of statements by Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema. In one of them, Halsema supported Lahlah, in the other an article from fifteen years ago in which Halsema called for the headscarf to be thrown off.
In this way, Agema undermined Schoof’s words and unleashed a mini-crisis. The unity of the cabinet’s policy was disputed by the opposition. The debate was suspended for half an hour. During internal deliberations, Agema allegedly lashed out at Schoof. Upon her return to the House, Schoof gave her a public reprimand. The entire cabinet would no longer tweet during debates, but Agema did not delete her tweet.
Wilders complains regarding witch hunt
The opposition doubted whether Schoof spoke on behalf of the entire cabinet. Doubts that persisted following the debate, because PVV leader Wilders defended Agema’s right to post such tweets. The debate degenerated into pandemonium. The normally stoic Speaker of the House Martin Bosma looked tired and regularly lost his grip on the debate.
Ironically, Wilders started talking regarding a witch hunt. According to Wilders, ‘his’ PVV ministers Marjolijn Faber and Reinette Klever had been humbled for their earlier statements regarding the Nazi-linked replacement theory. D66 leader Rob Jetten subtly pointed out to Wilders that the PVV member had been calling former D66 leader Sigrid Kaap a witch for years. With Jetten, D66 seems to be adopting the same tactics of former leader Alexander Pechtold to seek as much confrontation with the PVV as possible.
With that, Jetten managed to turn the debate to his advantage twice. Even when Frans Timmermans had a better chance of doing so. After all, with Femke Halsema and Esmah Lahlah, it was two GroenLinks-PvdA members who had aroused the wrath of the PVV. Timmermans submitted two motions of no confidence in the evening, once morest ministers Faber and Klever. Both motions were supported by D66, SP, Party for the Animals and Denk.
Fault lines in the House of Representatives and the cabinet
The debate on the government statement of the Schoof cabinet shows above all how big the fault lines are in the House of Representatives and the cabinet. NSC leader Pieter Omtzigt almost begged cabinet members not to leak ‘crackling discussions’ to the media within ten minutes, or to put them publicly on social media themselves. He himself had learned from leaks during the cabinet formation. Dilan Yeşilgöz was also critical. The VVD faction leader called the debate a ‘shameful circus’. According to CDA leader Bontenbal, the Netherlands and politics had been damaged by the debate.
Schoof can work on building unity in the summer months in peace. The House of Representatives is in recess and will return in September to debate Schoof’s government program, followed by Prinsjesdag.
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