After Wilders’ comments on X, to what extent can coalition parties provide constitutional safeguards?
Following demonstrations on 7 October, PVV party leader Geert Wilders responded furiously on X by saying that the mayor of Amsterdam Femke Halsema should leave the country. Experts say that in doing so Wilders has violated an agreement reached with the coalition parties. Wim Voermans, Professor of Constitutional and Administrative Law, comments on the situation in Dutch newspaper ‘Parool’.
Sharon Dijksma, the mayor of Utrecht and chair of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities, believes that the cabinet must distance itself from the comments made by Geert Wilders. Other mayors in the Netherlands share her opinion. Dijksma claims the tweet ‘undermines the authority of mayors and is utterly disproportionate’. Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof commented on RTL News saying that he would ‘not respond to individual tweets, but generally speaking supported all mayors, including Halsema’.
Professor Voermans says that it is not up to the cabinet to distance itself from Geert Wilders’ comments. He believes that what Dijksma wishes would have no political effect. Member of Parliament here have a great deal of freedom to express themselves in their own personal style and words.
Nevertheless, the comments made by Geert Wilders cross a line when you look at previous agreements. Professor Voermans refers to the baseline agreement that was concluded in February on constitutional safeguards. It states that the coalition parties will refrain from attacking each other, but also that they will ‘protect and respect the institutions on which the rule of law is founded’. The question therefore arises to what extent this agreement is being observed. Professor Voermans: ‘In this case, Wilders has definitely overstepped the mark.’
Find out more?
Read the full article (in Dutch) in Parool (€)
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