Letter to the VVD

After a shameful week in which democracy took an immeasurable beating, Dutch politics is now in danger of falling into a doomsday scenario. A widely supported vote of no confidence and a motion of censure adopted by all parties except his own VVD revealed the parliamentary lack of confidence in outgoing prime minister Rutte as a credible prime minister, and made it clear that there is no longer majority support for a new cabinet in which Rutte takes a seat. This does not dismiss Rutte's full commitment to the Netherlands as prime minister for 10 years, but it does make it clear that his role as prime minister must come to an end from the start of the new cabinet.

His party, the VVD, could have used the past few days to reflect on the reconnaissance disaster, analyse its own role and come up with a solution that would allow the formation to restart soon. Instead, its prominent figures chose their own position of power over the judgment of the Lower House. Other political parties were insulted, their youth organisations belittled. Political arrogance supplanted any sense of reality.

No man, no statesman and no party is greater than democracy. The conclusions drawn from the 1 April debate were painful but also clear. A new cabinet with Rutte is not an option. In the current scenario, we fear a political stalemate caused by training strategy, power bluffing and damaging stubbornness. Only one party will then be responsible for that political impasse: the VVD. It chooses to totally disregard the decision of the other political parties, taken with great sorrow. The VVD's defence falls short. The exploration debacle took place after the election date, thus electoral support for Mark Rutte cannot serve as an argumentative shield. Other parties have no say in Rutte's role as a member of parliament, but they themselves decide on the parties and individuals with whom they want to form a cabinet. That fact should also count for the country's largest party.

Our message is about the integrity and fairness of our democracy. This drama is not about the man Mark Rutte. It is not about undermining his legacy. It is not about power politics. But in a healthy political system, every politician remains smaller than the system in which he moves. We stand for a democracy that defends sincerity and maintains credibility. That principle demands our utmost loyalty, even in times of crisis.

Together, we call on the VVD to take its responsibility for democracy. We support the positions taken by our parent parties, and ask them to indicate in talks with parliamentary speaker Arib that they will not be part of a new cabinet in which Rutte is prime minister. The VVD can still play its role in the upcoming formation with dignity, but with its current stance, that too is in question. If the VVD does not take parliament seriously, it will seal the fate of Dutch politics. Then, in our opinion, all that remains is a formation without them, or the ballot box.

PerspectieF (CU)

Young Democrats (D66)

DWARS (GroenLinks)

Young Socialists (PvdA)

Opposition (DENK)

PINK! (PvdD)