Former security service chief tipped as Dutch prime minister

[pieter]

www.dutchnews.nl/2024/05/former-security-service-chief-to-be-next-dutch-prime-minister/

[karl]

Pieter

I must say, Mr. Schoof with his vast experience should be a very good P.M. If elected as so. But, I do differ with him on the matter of his maintaining of, "Rule of Law and Democracy", changing from what it was. This I must say, is not true, The rule of law as it stands is constant, but be amended to fit the needs to fit the occasion, this then gives the courts of law the flexibility to judge the offenses as they present themselves.

Karl

[pieter]

The NOS News(ene)
Today, 17:50
(ene)Modified today, 18:01

Dick Schoof wants to be 'prime minister of all Dutch people'



Dick Schoof wants to be "prime minister of all Dutch people". He said that in a press conference after it became known that he was the prime minister. Schoof is also planning to take the concerns of Dutch people seriously and to tackle them, he said. He also races on connection "with the people with - and for whom - we do it".

About how he's going to do that, Schoof didn't want to lose much. According to the candidate prime minister, the coalition agreement of PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB is "ambitious", and he did not want to anticipate how he wants to fill that in the coalition program. "My plans for the Netherlands are what the group presidents have agreed."

In the coming weeks, formateur Richard van Zwol will put together Schoof (and with input from the four parties) a cabinet team. The government will then draw up the plans of the agreement. Schoof said that with the concluded agreement in hand, a "excellent" program can be made "for all Dutch people".

Schoof wants to be prime minister for all Dutch:

Dick Schoof shakes the hand of Geert Wilders

He also emphasized that he is not the candidate of the PVV, who had the lead in the search for a prime minister, but of all the forming parties. “I was asked by the four group chairmen. I based on that.”

The prime minister said he has thought intensively about his new position and consulted with his girlfriend and adult children. "I have not taken the decision lightly and I am full of conviction here."

“It will be a surprise to many people that I’m here,” Schoof said:

Until 3.5 years ago Schoof was a member of the PvdA and now he is non-partisan. When asked, the candidate prime minister said that he had terminated his membership of the PvdA because he no longer felt related to the party. He called a question about kinship with the PVV, the largest coalition party, "not relevant".


Dick Schoof as director-general of the General Intelligence and Security Service AIVD in front of the AIVD building in the Europaweg 4, Zoetermeer, a city in the Western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland.


General logo of the General Intelligence and Security Service AIVD


General Intelligence and Security Service AIVD headquarters in the Europaweg 4, Zoetermeer, a city in the Western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland.


General Intelligence and Security Service AIVD headquarters in the Europaweg 4, Zoetermeer, a city in the Western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland.


A Dutch artist made a sculpture for the building of the General Intelligence and Security Service AIVD headquarters in the Europaweg 4, Zoetermeer, a city in the Western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland.


A Dutch artist made a sculpture for the building of the General Intelligence and Security Service AIVD headquarters in the Europaweg 4, Zoetermeer, a city in the Western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland.


A Dutch artist made a sculpture for the building of the General Intelligence and Security Service AIVD headquarters in the Europaweg 4, Zoetermeer, a city in the Western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland.

Now how to go?

Together with the intended prime minister, formateur Richard van Zwol will seek ministers and state secretaries in the coming weeks. Then there will be hearings of the ministers in the House of Representatives. After the hearings, the platform scene follows. Van Zwol hopes to be ready around June 26.

In the coming days, the distribution of the items will be negotiated. This will be in proportion to the number of seats in both the Second and the Senate. The post of Prime Minister is separate. Normally, the largest party supplies the prime minister and the second party to the Minister of Finance, but now that is possible different.

The 67-year-old Schoof is currently the highest official at the Ministry of Justice and Security. Prior to that, he was the head of the intelligence service AIVD, National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCTV) and director of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND).

In recent days, the leaders of the sforming parties PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB have spoken under the leadership of formateur Van Zwol about who should become prime minister.

The Prime Minister will lead the extra-parliamentary cabinet that wants to form the four parties. In the coming weeks, new ministers and state secretaries will be sought. The idea is that there is a cabinet for the summer recess in early July. The four parties reached a coalition agreement two weeks ago. The new government must further develop these plans.


From left to right Caroline van der Plas of the Farmers party BBB, Pieter Omtzigt of NSC ('New Social Contract' party), Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius of the center right Conservative Liberal VVD party, and next to her (the the right), Richard van Zwol, a Dutch civil servant who has been a member of the Council of State since 2017 and present day informateur (builder, independent negotiator and constructor) of the PVV-VVD-NSC-BBB Cabinet, (a member of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA)), the new 'Independent' Prime Minister candidate of all these 4 political parties, Dick Schoof, and Geert Wilders of the far right Freedom Party (PVV). Hendrikus Wilhelmus Maria "Dick" Schoof (born 8 March 1957) is a Top Civil Servant, secretary-general at the Ministry of Justice and Security from March 2020 until today (May 2024), and from 20 November 2018 until 10 February 2020 he was the Director-General of the General Intelligence and Security Service (the AIVD), the put it simple the AIVD is the Dutch CIA. Schoof later led the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND), reformed immigration laws, and restructured the police into a national Police force. As the head of the National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism, he faced criticism over the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 investigation. In 2019, Schoof was announced as secretary-general at the Ministry of Justice and Security to address scandals in the Ministry. So Schoof is a man with a lot of experience with Security, Counter Terrorism, Intelligence work, the Justice department of the Government, Top level Civil service (in that capacity he knew and knows Prime Minister Mark Rutte personally, he knew and knows Dutch ministers, State Secretaries and top Civil servants personally and politicians as well, also as former Intelligence Agency AIVD chief. Also a benefit is that he is both independent and a former Labour party man, and therefor knows not only the Labour opposition, but also other opposition parties from The parliamentary commission of Intelligence agencies. I (Pieter) hope he is a suitable man Karl, for my country, my nation, my compatriots, myself, and for our EU partners, our NATO partners, our diplomatic partners, our trade ties, our Financial-economical Dutch interests, our Social Cultural Interests and our ties with our allies and friends in the world. We (Dutch) have to find out in practice, in the reality of the pragmatism of politics and thus Real Politik.

[pieter]

May 28, 2024 9:20:36 GMT -7 karl said:

Pieter

I must say, Mr. Schoof with his vast experience should be a very good P.M. If elected as so. But, I do differ with him on the matter of his maintaining of, "Rule of Law and Democracy", changing from what it was. This I must say, is not true, The rule of law as it stands is constant, but be amended to fit the needs to fit the occasion, this then gives the courts of law the flexibility to judge the offenses as they present themselves.

Karl

Karl,

I completely agree with you. Certainties in our Dutch Democratic system, our parliamentary democracy, constitutional monarchy, and a democracy are based on the rule of law, the Rechtsstaat and the Trias Politica, the Separation of Powers, the typical division into three branches of government; legislature, an executive, and a judiciary. Where indeed the Dutch society, economy, culture, technology, Industries, infrastructure, traffic, sciences, news and people change like the rest of the world due to time, progress and development, certain things do not change.

Things like the Dutch constitutional monarchy with a limited power to the king, our parliamentary democracy, our Dutch constitution, our legal system with it's Trias Politica (Separation of Powers), Rechtsstaat, Trade law, democratic institutions and the values of 'Brotherhood' (Solidarity), Freedom and Equality (for the Law). In it's core the Netherlands is a North-West European Liberal Democracy which is used to a multi-cultural society for more than 150 years, due to our Pillarised Society. Pillarisation (‘verzuiling’ in Dutch) is one of the most distinctive — and fascinating — characteristics of Dutch history and society. Yet, it’s not very well known by foreigners. The idea behind it is quite simple: Dutch society is divided into pillars, and each is characterized by a unique system of political and social organisation.

Ultimately, a pillar fuses people together around a shared ideology and common values. Instead of relating to their fellow Dutch countrymen, Dutchies end up identifying themselves with their pillar. Does this sound confusing? Don’t worry — we’ll explain it more below! Let’s go back to the end of the 19th century when the division between the different religions in the Netherlands started pillarisation.

1) Catholics, 2) conservative Calvinists, and 3) the (non-religious) socialist and working class, in particular, rivalled to preserve their unique identities and values. A forth pillar was made up by the classical liberal Dutch Bourgeoisie of upper middle class people, merchants, and aristocrats, the 4) Liberal pillar of people who believed in 'Laissez Faire', the Free Market and Capitalism.

They started to create their own social and political institutions, creating a number of parallel societies living next to — but with their backs turned — to one another.

This division into pillars was also a way for the elites to resist modernisation and secularisation and to keep control of the population as long as they could.

The whole society was divided as each pillar had its own institutions: its own school, hospital, shops, political party, media — you name it!

The role of media

Having their own media was particularly important. Through their own broadcasting companies, it was very easy for the elites to disseminate a cultural identity that people could then reproduce.


Man refuses to listen to a radio station not belonging to his pillar. Image: Johan Braakensiek/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

Consequently, Dutch society was completely divided into different groups. People from one pillar rarely mixed with people from another — they didn’t really have to!

It wasn’t only socially unacceptable, but doing so could be strictly forbidden.

As with most things, pillarisation in the Netherlands wasn’t black and white.

There was an overlap between the different pillars. For example, many members of the working class were both political socialists and practising Christians.

Some strict Calvinists, however, live in separate communities until this very day. Check out our article on the Dutch Bible Belt.

Societal changes shake up the Dutch pillars

Even though it lasted for some decades, the pillars started to break down in the 1960s.

Firstly, the economic growth of this period allowed the development of the Dutch welfare state, meaning that people didn’t rely as much on their pillar members.


Following the economic growth of the 1960s, everyone began to innovate technology. Image: Nationaal Archief/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

Medicine, money, and support were now controlled by higher levels of governmental organisation rather than being provided by peoples’ immediate community.

The welfare state also allowed more Dutchies to get a higher education and to own television sets — in these ways, people no longer relied on their pillar to know what was happening in the world.

Secondly, the pillars started to fall around this time because of the free spirit of the 60s.


Hippies chillin’ out in Vondelpark Amsterdam, late sixties. Image: Hans Peters / Anefo/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

As you can imagine, the peace-and-love mantra didn’t match well with people telling you how to behave and who to interact with.

The effects of pillarisation on freedom of expression

Before this time, the identification with a pillar was so strong that it altered the freedom of expression.

In the pillared society of the Netherlands, freedom of speech was effectively limited because you were supposed to follow the rules and values of the pillar to which you belonged.

The elites told you not only how to behave but also what to do if you wanted to belong to the group and reap its benefits.

Yes, the social control in the pillared system was extremely strong, but you couldn’t just leave it behind — unless you like to be completely on your own.

Today, it seems crazy to think that this was happening in the Netherlands, famous for its tolerant and forward-thinking culture.

Pillarisation nowadays

To all the future internationals in the Netherlands: breathe in, breathe out. The pillars indeed broke down, and the Dutch society was no longer pillared.

If you pay attention, however, you can still see some remains of it today.

Take, for example, the big, curtainless windows the Dutch have. You can easily see inside people’s homes. This is something that new internationals often find very strange.

But why do they do it? Because of pillarisation! With the very strong social control, one had nothing to hide, and the idea was that people could even check that.

It makes more sense now, doesn’t it?

Dutch funny comical education about pillarisation in the Netherlands


Where for instance Poland is very homogenic, with more than 95% ethnic Western Slavic Poles with their Roman Catholic religion, the Netherlands was always a country with a large Conservative Calvinist Dutch Reformed Protestant dominant Group (the dominant Protestant Provinces of Holland and Zeeland in the Past) and Roman Catholic, Armenian (the Liberal Remonstrant Brotherhood minority within Dutch Protestants - Armenians/Reminstrants were persecuted by the Calvinist of the Dutch Reformed Church - De Nederlands Hervormde Kerk -), Lutheran, French Huegenot, Jewish and German minorities. In the 20th century a huge influx from Southern-Europe, Central-Europe, Eastern-Europe, and especially the far corners of South-Eastern-Europe and Asia (Turkey and Greece), Northern Africa (mainly Morocco, but also Algerians, Tunesians, Egyptians and some Libiyans) and our former colonies Indonesia, Suriname (West Africa) and the Dutch Caribbean (also called the Dutch West Indies and the Netherlands Antilles; Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten, and the special municipalities of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (BES islands)), and immigration and refugees from Africa, the Middle East (Syria, Iraq, Palestine), Afghanistan, Iran, Bosnia Herzegovina, Kosovo, Ukraine and other countries changed my country into a multi cultural, multi ethnic and multi religious country.

Today literary I live in a neighborhood in which the Moroccan Islam and the Turkish Islam is very present. In my street there is a Moroccan Salafist mosque and yesterday there was a Turkish festival with Great Ottoman music with a lot of sharp trumpets and large drums and Ottoman Turkish costumes. I am used to it and live with it today. In Arnhem there are 150 nationalities. The Turkish migrant group is the largest group and most dominant one, the second most dominant migrant group is that of the Moroccans, and although they are a smaller group, they are more dominant and more present than the more (maybe introvert and modest) Turks.

The Netherlands is a parliamentary representative democracy. A constitutional monarchy, the country is organised as a decentralised unitary state. The Netherlands can be described as a consociational state. Dutch politics and governance are characterised by a common striving for broad consensus on important issues, within both of the political community and society as a whole.

The Netherlands thus is a parliamentary democracy. Normally once every four years the Dutch citizens entitled to vote (Dutch nationals aged 18 or over) elect the people who will represent them in Parliament, so the elections are the basis of democracy.

Parliament’s duties include scrutinising the work of the Government and making new laws in cooperation with the Government. The Dutch Parliament is called “the States General”. It is bicameral, which means it consists of two chambers: the Senate (Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal) and the House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal).

People’s representation in the Netherlands

The members of the Senate and the House of Representatives represent the people of the Netherlands. But how do these representatives of the people know what their voters want?

First of all, the voters express their political opinion by voting for a specific political party. Once elected, the representatives of the people will make sure that they remain well informed about what is going on in society. Each politician has his own way of achieving this.

Working visits and work placements

Dutch Politicians are open to the opinions of the people they represent, and of their voters in particular. Dutch MPs will keep in touch with their voters and a range of stakeholders, for instance by paying working visits, doing work placements and conducting surveys and hearings. Moreover, they deliver lectures and take part in discussions. Apart from this, many Dutch political parties have set up think-tanks, where MPs can debate issues with scholars, scientists and experts. Of course, anyone can take the initiative to make their opinion known to their representatives in the Dutch Parliament, e.g. by contacting MPs by e-mail. People can also present a petition in writing to Parliament if they wish to draw attention to a specific subject. People who would like to put a subject on the agenda of the House of Representatives can launch a so-called citizens’ initiative. Read more about these possibilities at "The Dutch people's opinion matters".

The Dutch House of representatives (De Tweede Kamer/The Second Chamber)

The main duties of the Dutch House of Representatives are co-legislation and checking that the Dutch Government carries out its work properly. The Dutch House of Representatives also plays an important role in policy-making.

The members of the Dutch House of Representatives (MPs) are elected directly by the Dutch voters. In Dutch national general elections those people entitled to vote decide which 150 MPs will represent them during the next Cabinet term.

MPs' rights

Dutch MPs have certain rights, laid down in the Dutch Constitution, in order to carry out their duties as well as they can. For instance, they have the right to propose bills themselves, or to amend bills proposed by the Dutch Government. Dutch Ministers and State Secretaries must inform the Dutch House of Representatives adequately. Dutch MPs have the right to ask questions of the members of the Dutch Cabinet and to call them to account. They can propose motions to give their opinion on the policies of the Dutch Government, to ask the Government to take action on a certain issue or not, or to express themselves more generally about certain matters or current developments.

The Dutch Senate (De Eerste Kamer/The First Chamber)

The main task of the Dutch Senate (Eerste Kamer) is to adopt or reject bills, but it is also the duty of the Dutch Senators to scrutinise the work of the Dutch Government.

The members of the Senate are elected indirectly by the members of the provincial councils. The latter are elected directly by the Dutch people.

Dutch Legislation

As far as legislation is concerned, a bill adopted by the House of Representatives must be approved by the Senate in order to become law. The Senate does not have the right to amend a bill but can only adopt or reject it. The Senate can also scrutinize the work of the Government, but does not often use this instrument.

Duties and rights

The House of Representatives has two main duties: making laws and scrutinising the work of the Government. The main task of the Senate is considering bills approved by the House of Representatives. The Senate makes only limited use of its right to scrutinize the work of the Government. Both chambers together constitute the States-General (the Parliament). The Government is obliged to provide both chambers with the necessary information, so as to enable Parliament to scrutinise the work of the Government properly. This obligation is laid down in the Constitution.

The Constitution also attributes a set of specific rights to the States General, so as to enable them to execute their tasks properly:

- The right to approve or reject the Government’s budget;
- The right of inquiry.

Members of both chambers have:

- The right to question the Cabinet, for instance during Question Time;
- The right to propose motions.

Moreover, the House of Representatives has certain exclusive rights for the execution of its tasks:

- The right to amend bills;
- The right of initiative, i.e. the right to propose bills.

The Dutch Cabinet

The Dutch Cabinet comprises the Prime Minister, the other ministers and the State Secretaries. The Prime Minister acts as president of the Cabinet and chairs the weekly "Council of Ministers". The Cabinet formulates and is accountable for the Government’s policies.

As a rule, once every four years a new Cabinet is formed. This works as follows: in national general elections, citizens cast their votes for candidates of political parties. After the elections it becomes clear how many votes each party has obtained, how many seats they will be allocated in Parliament and which candidates have become MPs. During the formation of a Cabinet it is determined which parties can work together to form a coalition. Subsequently, the leaders of these so-called coalition parties negotiate a Coalition Agreement and the composition of the new Cabinet. The so-called Cabinet formateur, who is the intended Prime Minister, selects the other members of the Cabinet. The members of the Cabinet are officially appointed by the King.

Ministerial responsibility

Ministers are collectively and individually accountable to Parliament for their actions when carrying out their duties. Moreover, the ministers are politically accountable for the actions of the Head of State, the King. Parliament also scrutinises the work of state secretaries. Every state secretary is accountable to both the House of Representatives and the Senate, but the ministers remain responsible for the overall policy of their departments.
The “confidence rule”

An individual minister and the Cabinet as a whole must have Parliament’s confidence. Consequently, a minister, or the whole Cabinet, must resign if a majority in Parliament no longer has confidence in them. Either of the chambers of Parliament can withdraw its confidence, by adopting a motion of no-confidence. In the event of an internal conflict, the Cabinet will generally tender its resignation to the King, which is often followed by early elections and the formation of a new Cabinet.

Coalition vs Opposition

The Dutch political parties that make up the Cabinet are called coalition parties. Parties that are not included in the Cabinet are called opposition parties. They can be said to oppose the coalition parties, as it were.

The Dutch opposition parties do not support the Cabinet at all, or only partially. They would prefer a Cabinet of a different composition and a different Coalition Agreement. The opposition often tries to block or amend the Government's proposals. Coalition parties are more likely to support the Cabinet's policies than reject them.

Dualism

"Dualism" in Dutch politics means that there is a certain distance between the Cabinet and the House of Representatives (De Tweede Kamer). In many cases, however, the coalition parties will support the Cabinet’s plans, with coalition and opposition parties in the House adopting opposing positions in a debate. This is not always the case, however. Coalition parties may disagree with the Cabinet, as indeed they sometimes do, since it is Parliament’s overall duty to scrutinise the work of the Cabinet. Members of the Cabinet are designated by the coalition parties, but are not elected directly. They are not Members of Parliament (MPs). The members of the Cabinet and MPs each have their own opinions and responsibilities.

Monism

We talk of monism when strong ties bind the Dutch Cabinet and the coalition parties, and the latter operate more or less as an extension of the Cabinet. When this occurs, the opposition has little influence. In Dutch politics there is a moderate form of dualism, because in most cases the coalition parties will support the Government’s proposals.

Pieter

[pieter]

[pieter]

First Press conference Dutch candidate prime minister Dick Schoof

[pieter]

Dutch ex-spy chief Dick Schoof named as PM-candidate

4 hours ago
Paul Kirby,BBC News


Dick Schoof (L) said he knew Geert Wilders a little before he was nominated for PM

After 14 years of Mark Rutte as Dutch prime minister, a former domestic intelligence chief has been nominated to replace him by the four parties that will make up the new Dutch coalition.

Dick Schoof, 67, said he would be prime minister for all Dutch people, not just for the four parties that chose him.

"For me this is a very intense moment, I never would have expected to be asked to stand here," he told reporters.

Anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders won the Dutch election last November and eventually came to a coalition deal with three other parties after he agreed not to go for the top job.

Under the 25-page deal, Mr Wilders' Freedom Party and the three other leaders in his coalition agreed they would stay in parliament out of the cabinet, while about half the ministers would be picked from outside politics.

They have promised the "strictest-ever asylum regime" as well as tougher controls on migrants and international students and tight limits on family reunifications for refugees.

Mr Wilders had already abandoned some of his party's plans, such as banning the Quran, before the election, but he held firm on some of his immigration policies, which will cause friction with some of the Netherlands' EU partners.

The conservative-liberal VVD, centrist New Social Contract and the Farmer Citizens Movement (BBB) have agreed to the deal.

Dick Schoof has spent his entire career in the civil service, and is currently the most senior official in the justice ministry. He once led the Netherlands' AIVD domestic security service, as well as the counter-terrorism agency and the immigration service.

He said his focus on the rule of law would help him govern the Netherlands. His experience in the justice ministry may also help him navigate some of the coalition's biggest ambitions.

Mr Schoof said he knew Geert Wilders "a little" but stressed he had been appointed by four parties that had a big majority in parliament. Asked whether he or the far-right party leader would be the boss, he said: "There is only one prime minister and that will be me."

He rejected outright any suggestion that he might act as if he was on Geert Wilders' leash, but admitted to being surprised by his nomination for the top job.

In a recent interview Dick Schoof was asked how the election result might affect his role in the civil service.

"It is a sign that many people do not have confidence in the government's ability to solve problems, and perhaps not in each other either," he told the Green Amsterdammer magazine. "And of course it is not the case that just because a quarter of voters back the [Freedom Party], then suddenly a quarter has got the whole thing wrong."

Although he was a member of the Labour party for decades until only a few years ago, he told reporters on Tuesday he no longer felt any affinity to it.

His appointment came after the first choice for prime minister, Ronald Plasterk, had to pull out after Dutch media reports questioned his integrity.

The next step for the prospective prime minister will be to assemble a ministerial team, along with the man leading the process, Richard van Zwol. A cabinet could be in place by the end of June ahead of the summer recess.

[pieter]

The NOS News(ene)
Today, 13:52
(ene)Modified today, 18:23

Dick Schoof very experienced in the field of justice and asylum



Candidate Prime Minister Dick Schoof is 67 years old and has decades of official experience, especially in the field of justice and security. Schoof is now Secretary-General, the highest official, at the Ministry of Justice.

In a conversation with De Groene Amsterdammer, he discussed the political climate and the election victory of the PVV three months ago. He said, among other things, that if a quarter of the people vote for the PVV, that is not suddenly a quarter of it has seen it wrong.

Before Schoof became the official chief at Justice, he was, among other things, chief director of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND), Director-General Public Order and Security at the Ministry of the Interior, Director-General Police at the Ministry of Justice, National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security and the chief executive of intelligence service AIVD.

Schoof studied planningology and immediately afterwards he became education policy officer at the Association of Dutch Municipalities.



PvdA (Labour Party) membership cancelled

So far, little has been known about Schoof’s possible political ambitions. He has been a member of the PvdA (the Dutch Labour Party) for more than thirty years, but he canceled that membership three and a half years ago. In March he turned 67 and he could have retired, but he asked and got a dispensation to work for three years as a civil servant.

In the interview with De Groene Amsterdammer (read; Dutch Intelligentsia Newspaper with a lot of indepth essays, articles and columns about internal Dutch politics, international affairs/foreign affairs, culture, literature and the Fine Arts), he said that he had decided before the elections that he wanted to continue (as a civil servant). And he added: "This is a mighty job. It’s because it’s so complex.”





'Something more reflection'

Schoof also said in that conversation, in early March, that he has trouble with the frame that under the new coalition "democracy is about to die, as a result of this election result". "Sit that democracy is eroded left or right, because it can be done through both sides, then the first important question is: who am I to come to the judgment that I see it well and the rest of it?"

He called for “something more reflection.” Schoof said in the same interview that if a quarter of the people vote for the PVV, that is not suddenly a quarter of it has seen it wrong. “Don’t think the Department of Justice would not represent that quarter.”





“Right state and democracy always subject to change”

When asked what would be for him the 'moral pain threshold' would be, he replied that we will not reach it in the coming years: "The pain threshold would lie where the entire States-General will pass laws and amend the constitution in such a way that you can seriously question the survival of democracy".

Schoof suffreed that the rule of law and democracy are always subject to change and "that, for example, we look at privacy and freedom differently about terrorism legislation than we did twenty years ago".

He also said that he has previously said to ministers that a certain wish for the rule of law, but that he always came to the conclusion that it should be possible. To that sentence he added: "Perhaps there are also things from the past that we introduced, of which I would now say: does this still fit?"



"Risk that citizens lose confidence"

The question of whether the government is still doing what he would expect as a citizen, Schoof answered in the negative: "It takes too long and if it takes too long, there is a risk that the citizen will lose confidence." He called himself "in my way activist". According to him, the government can really do something for society.

As the highest official at Justice, he was closely involved in the discussion about asylum policy last year, which eventually resulted in the fall of the cabinet in July. The coalition could not agree on family reunification: "There were all kinds of variants on the table. But in the end, it was politically killed. Politics decide, not the civil service,” he said in De Groene Amsterdammer.


Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Minister of Security and Justice Ivo Opstelten and National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCTB coordinator) Dick Schoof (L) during a press conference following the Malaysia Airlines crash in july 2014. © anp



“Abolism should remain a little courageous.”

In an earlier conversation, three years ago in the Volkskrant (The Peoples Papper), he emphasized in response to the aftermath of the allowances affair that you "suffer should remain a bit brave as an official". Schoof: "Sometimes it seems that you put yourself on a chop block when you say or do something. I think it is far more important that there is no fear in your own organization to say something that is unwelcome, for fear that it will not be accepted or brushed away.”

In his spare time, the candidate prime minister likes to run. This year he ran his 18th marathon. In college, he was a fanatic rower. Schoof was a member of the amateur rowing club Phocasi Association in Nijmegen from 1975 to 1984. He was also chairman of the board for some time.


Dick Schoof (second from right) in his time at amateur rowing club Phocas


Dick Schoof in his time at the amateur rowing club Phocas

[pieter]

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on July 22, 2014 during a news conference at the Ministry of Safety and Justice in The Hague, The Netherlands, on Friday. Rutte says he's shocked by the behavior of pro-Russian rebels at the MH17 crash site, Bart Maat/EPA/Landov

Rutte after disaster: We have to get there, don't worry!

A year ago, the top of the cabinet came under high tension: Prime Minister Rutte had to face an international crisis after flight MH17 was shot out of the sky with 298 passengers. He is considering a military option for intervention for a few days, until the prime minister runs out of steam with his phone calls to Putin. A reconstruction of Rutte's toughest task: the aftermath of the MH17 disaster.

Tobias den Hartog and Jan Hoedeman
18-07-15, 08:05 Last update: 04-03-16, 14:32

Mark Rutte is cooking inside. Frustrated, he paced the seventh floor of the Ministry of Security and Justice on Monday, July 21, on the fourth day of crisis after the MH17 crash. The whole of the Netherlands is looking over his shoulder. Everyone has to watch that a train full of bodies is not allowed to move. While the Malaysians walk fearlessly into the area, the Dutch are too afraid of the war raging there, according to public opinion. Rutte is also pissed off because Putin seems resigned on the phone.

Then Rutte suddenly shouts in the meeting room: 'Dick! Those remains must be returned! We have to go inside, it doesn't matter how you do that! But you do it!'

Dick is Dick Schoof. The National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security. Together with Minister Ivo Opstelten (Security), he must set the course for disasters like this. Schoof understands Rutte's impatience, but feels responsible for the safety of soldiers and aid workers who should enter the area. At that time, a strong military option is also being developed to fly in several thousand Dutch and Australian soldiers. Schoof has seen politicians freak out before and understands that. Sheaf remains cool. But he also knows: time is running out. Five days earlier. Rutte has to return to the Netherlands that Thursday evening, July 17th. And fast. The crash of flight MH17 is a mega crisis, the Netherlands needs its prime minister.

"Dammit, what's taking so long, Dick"

Ivo Opstelten

But there are practical concerns. There will be no plane available in Rutte's holiday region that quickly. A scheduled flight will take hours. His information officer at the Government Information Service, Stephan Schrover, does not hesitate for a moment. He's going to pick up the Prime Minister. Fortunately, the Oranges are not on the road with the government plane. Schrover calls on the PH-KBX device. He even brings a clean suit for the Prime Minister. The Fokker 70 sets course for the regional airport Friedrichshafen, not far from Lake Constance.


Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Minister of Security and Justice Ivo Opstelten and National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCTB coordinator) Dick Schoof (L) during a press conference following the Malaysia Airlines crash in july 2014. © anp

The Prime Minister has already recovered from the initial blow of the air disaster. The VVD member received this around 6 p.m., when he received a call at his holiday address in southern Germany. He just arrived. The flight that crashed in Ukraine in the afternoon was not yet another Tupolev, but a scheduled flight for civilians. And one more from Amsterdam.

From the hall, under the glass dome roof of the airport, Rutte sees the KBX land a little later. Schrover appears at the top of the plane stairs. Rutte feels a moment of relief, his feeling of loneliness and uncertainty about what is to come subsides for a moment. "Ha, a familiar face in the midst of the confusion," he thinks, as he later says in a small circle. After the first consultation with Schrover, he quickly gave his first reaction, at 7:07 p.m.: "I am deeply shocked."

Meanwhile, in The Hague, Minister of Security and Justice Ivo Opstelten senses that the plane crash that has just occurred will leave a wound in the country. Opstelten has a major problem: he lacks insight into the scale of the disaster. The passenger list, and therefore the number of Dutch victims, cannot be found. Malaysia Airlines must have it, but Opstelten and his people are having trouble getting their hands on a copy of that darn thing.

The Achtuurjournaal has brought the first reports, but Opstelten still has to guess at the number of Dutch deaths. He also knows that Rutte is on his way. And he will demand answers. The thought that he will soon be left empty-handed torments him. Then Opstelten slams his fist on the table, his impatience ignites into anger. “Dammit, why is this all taking so long, Dick. What is this!,'' he suddenly shouts. But Schoof has nothing yet. Someone suggests: "Then we send the military police to Malaysia Airlines to get that list?"

[pieter]

English

www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/05/28/former-dutch-intelligence-chief-dick-schoof-tipped-as-countrys-new-prime-minister

www.france24.com/en/europe/20240516-dutch-right-wing-parties-strike-deal-to-form-coalition-government

German

Dick Schoof will an die „Grenzen des Gesetzes“ gehen

www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/ausland/niederlande-wer-ist-dick-schoof-19751615.html

Ex-Geheimdienstchef wird niederländischer Ministerpräsident

www.welt.de/politik/ausland/article251733980/Dick-Schoof-Ex-Geheimdienstchef-wird-niederlaendischer-Ministerpraesident.html

www.tagesschau.de/ausland/niederlande-ministerpraesident-dick-schoof-100.html

de.euronews.com/video/2024/05/28/ex-geheimdienstchef-schoof-soll-neuer-niederlandischer-ministerprasident-werden















Geert Wilders‘ Suche hat ein Ende: Ex-Geheimdienstchef soll neuer Regierung vorstehen




Dick Schoof auf einem Archivbild vom 15. Jänner 2024.



Dick Schoof soll der neue Ministerpräsident der neuen Vier-Parteien-Koalition der Niederlande werden. Stärkste Kraft in der Regierung ist Geert Wilders‘ PVV. Um die Koalition schmieden zu können, musste Wilders auf das Amt des Regierungschefs verzichten.

Der frühere Chef des Geheimdienstes und der Anti-Terrorismusbehörde, Dick Schoof (67), soll neuer Regierungschef der Niederlande werden. Das teilten die vier künftigen Koalitionsparteien am Dienstag in Den Haag mit. Der parteilose Schoof ist bisher höchster Beamter im Justizministerium. Er soll die rechteste Regierung der Landesgeschichte führen und Nachfolger des heutigen Premiers Mark Rutte werden, der NATO-Generalsekretär werden soll.

Schoof erklärte, er wolle sich dafür einsetzen, das Vertrauen der Bürger in den Staat wieder herzustellen. „Ich will Premier aller Niederländer sein.“ Er bekräftigte zudem, dass er parteilos sei und nicht als Vertreter des radikal rechten Populisten Geert Wilders die Regierung führen wollen.

Der Rechtspopulist Geert Wilders sprach von einer guten Wahl. „Er steht über den Parteien und hat unser Vertrauen.“ Zudem habe er breite Erfahrung.



Vier Parteien von rechts bis liberal-konservativ

Vor rund sechs Monaten hatten die Niederländer ein neues Parlament gewählt. Dabei war die Partei für die Freiheit (PVV) des radikal-rechten Populisten Geert Wilders mit 37 Sitzen überraschend stärkste Kraft geworden. Für eine stabile Mehrheit brauchte er mindestens zwei Partner. Nach mühsamen Verhandlungen einigte Wilders sich mit der rechtsliberalen VVD des bisherigen Regierungschefs Rutte, der rechtskonservativen NSC sowie der rechtspopulistischen Bauernpartei BBB auf eine Koalition.

Um die Koalition zu ermöglichen, verzichtete Wilders auf das Amt des Regierungschefs sowie auf einige seiner umstrittensten Forderungen wie das Verbot von Moscheen. Die Hälfte des Kabinetts soll aus Nicht-Berufspolitikern bestehen.



Kabinett vervollständigt sich langsam

Schoof ist politisch bisher nicht in Erscheinung getreten, war bis vor einigen Jahren jedoch Mitglied der sozialdemokratischen Partei. Er gilt als Experte für Sicherheit und Migration - zwei zentrale Punkte für die rechten Koalitionspartner. Schoof leitete den Nachrichten- und Sicherheitsdienst AIVD, war Koordinator im Kampf gegen den Terrorismus und auch Direktor der Immigrationsbehörde.

Bis das gesamte Kabinett steht, wird es vermutlich noch einige Wochen dauern. Es wird damit gerechnet, dass der König die neue Regierung in etwa vier Wochen vereidigen kann.

Der Rechtspopulist Wilders hatte bei der Vorlage des Koalitionsabkommens am 16. Mai einen radikalen Kurswechsel für die Niederlande angekündigt. Der Führer der Anti-Islam-Partei versprach „die strengte Asylpolitik, die es jemals gab“, und eine drastische Einschränkung der Zuwanderung. Zu den Plänen gehört auch, dass die Umweltauflagen für Bauern gelockert und Subventionen für nachhaltige Energien gestrichen werden. (APA/dpa/Reuters)