ANP King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima, sister-in-law Laurentien and brother Constantijn on Budget Day
NOS Nieuws•gisteren, 23:42
The government wants to consider exactly what work close family members of King Willem-Alexander can do in the future. This concerns members of the Royal House who do not receive an allowance from the state, such as King Willem-Alexander’s brother, Prince Constantijn, and his wife Laurentien.
Discussions arose this summer about her work for parents of benefit parents. As a result, Laurentien eventually gave up her job.
Prime Minister Schoof acknowledges that future tasks need to be considered, also because princesses Alexia and Ariane will also have to work themselves later. “It is very important to think about the secondary functions, also for coming generations,” said the Prime Minister.
Present
The members of the royal family who are not entitled to benefits must earn their own income, but they do partly fall under ministerial responsibility. They are not allowed to say or do everything in public and must submit their activities in advance to the responsible minister. But what exactly is or is not said or done is not recorded anywhere.
Schoof needs time to think about the subject, he said in the debate. “We must prevent them from confronting the cabinet,” said the prime minister, who spoke of “inherent tension”. “But I recognize the importance.” He also speaks about complex matter.
Discomfort
In the debate, it was mainly the government parties VVD and NSC that raised the issue of the part-time jobs of the members of the Royal House who were not entitled to benefits. Governing party VVD notes that “discomfort” has arisen recently about the situation. VVD MP Aartsen does not want to mention names, but believes that these members “should not become part of a political discussion”.
The ruling party NSC does speak openly about Princess Laurentien and Queen Máxima, who has made statements about the digital euro to the annoyance of the Ministry of Finance. “There is discomfort in society and we must prevent that in the future,” said NSC MP Six Dijkstra.
Criticism
This summer, Princess Laurentien was criticized for the way in which she advocated for an alternative handling of the childcare allowance affair through the (Equally) Worthy Recovery (SGH) foundation. She openly criticized the approach of the Ministry of Finance and reports emerged of improper behavior. People also wondered how it was possible that a member of the royal family was concerned with such a politically sensitive subject. The third Rutte cabinet fell in 2021 over the benefits affair.
The VVD wants a “committee of wise men” to look at the “tasks, responsibilities, size and composition” of the royal house. NSC wants an “external” advisory committee.
For the bus
The SP has difficulty with NSC’s request, because of Princess Laurentien’s commitment to the affected benefit parents. NSC MP Six Dijkstra emphasizes that discomfort had arisen about who was responsible for tackling the king’s sister-in-law: the Prime Minister or the State Secretary for Benefits. “It is not my intention to throw Princess Laurentien under the bus.”
Income
During the debate on the king’s budget it also emerged that there is no majority for the PVV proposal not to increase the king’s income by 78,000 euros in 2025. Parties such as GroenLinks-PvdA and D66 think that this is not legally possible and find it too easy to shorten the king in this way.
There is also dissatisfaction in the House of Representatives that this cabinet does not intend to have the king pay wage and income tax, as a large majority of the House has been demanding for some time.
