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Rita Verdonk

Balkenende III

European Union

We Dutch have a new parliament: Balkenende III. It is basically the same as the old CDA/VVD coalition, except that the majority is now provided by filler parties such are the LPF and Christian splinter groups, instead of filler party D66. Rita Verdonk is still member and as such D66 has already announced they might put down another motion of distrust tomorrow. Or at least would definitely vote in favour of any such motion issued by another party.

Wouldn't that be something? Formation in five days (thanks Ruud), disbanded in two. At that rate we could already have Balkenende XXII on election day (November 22) and establish a complete lack of international credibility no later than this weekend.

Back to normal

European Union

And in the end, nothing really happened after all. Hirsi Ali will probably get/keep citizenship and Verdonk will not fall, nor will the parliament. The only significant change is that Verdonk will most likely not lead the VVD for the upcoming elections. Winners last night: PvdA, Mark Rutte.

Summary of Hirsi Ali parliamentary crisis

European Union

Maybe IM posts are a good way to give a summary of matters:

Message to Neil Stevens at 21:30:11
    there is an emergency debate in the chamber
Message to Neil Stevens at 21:30:37
    hirsi ali's citizenship is to be revoked
Message from Neil Stevens at 21:32:04
    really
Message from Neil Stevens at 21:32:11
    no wonder she's coming here then
Message to Neil Stevens at 21:32:20
    that's independent
Message from Neil Stevens at 21:32:20
    I hadn't heard that part though
Message to Neil Stevens at 21:32:36
    well the debate has been live on and radio for hours now
Message to Neil Stevens at 21:32:50
    there's a huge fight over the interpretation of law
Message to Neil Stevens at 21:33:01
    the taken actions, the reign of freedom of leadership
Message to Neil Stevens at 21:33:13
    the integrity of claims
Message from Neil Stevens at 21:33:15
    sounds exciting
Message to Neil Stevens at 21:33:28
    well if there's a motion of distrust
Message to Neil Stevens at 21:33:33
    the parliament could resign
Message from Neil Stevens at 21:33:45
    bring on Amidala
Message to Neil Stevens at 21:34:06
    heh
Message to Neil Stevens at 21:34:27
    padmé is fit, i'm all for it

Dutch parliaments have been falling like dominos the past few years. Kok III over Srebrenica, Balkenende I over the LPF coalition which was a mess lacking the leadership of murdered Pim Fortuyn and maybe now Balkenende II over Ayaan Hirsi Magan and Rita Verdonk.

Nice development: if Hirsi Ali cannot proof she rightfully carried the name Ali instead of Magan, apparently the chamber has for the past three years ruled unconstitutionally, having only 149 constitutional representatives. If it does turn out to be that the naturalisation has never taken place, we have had an illegal chamber member.

Message from Neil Stevens at 21:59:07
    what so this is all about her name?
Message to Neil Stevens at 21:59:35
    yes, because giving a false name at immigration can change your status to as if naturalisation had never taken place.
Message to Neil Stevens at 21:59:54
    in which case she is not dutch
Message to Neil Stevens at 22:00:01
    and illegally residing here
Message to Neil Stevens at 22:00:09
    illegally having been a chamber member
Message to Neil Stevens at 22:00:22
    creating an illegal government basically, as member of parliament
Message from Neil Stevens at 22:00:44
    yeah
Message from Neil Stevens at 22:00:51
    they have to leave that to brussels

Crisis!

Bitch fight in Dutch parliament

European Union

I'm listening to the live Ayaan Hirsi Ali debate on the radio and it's quite a crisis now. Femke Halsema is completely slapping Rita Verdonk across the Second Chamber, at least when it comes to words.

Something to watch in the next few days: Rita Verdonk claimed she did not know until Thursday Hirsi Ali lied about her name (making her citizenship null and void instantly). But Halsema argues Verdonk has e-mailed Hirsi Ali on her parliament address which has her true name, which Verdonk denies to ever have done. Someone at the government should scan their SMTP logs.

Halsema literally claimed she did not believe Verdonk and I very much expect this could lead to a motion of distrust, which might very well lead to the resignation of parliament.

The debate has continued in the meanwhile, focusing on different aspects of Ayaan Hirsi Ali's status and Verdonk's interpretation of law. But I do get a feeling Halsema might make this all about integrity.

Rules are rules

European Union

Rules are rules, at least they are in the European Union. Dutch minister Rita Verdonk wants to get rid of Ayaan Hirsi Ali in what promises to be a nice little crisis for the Dutch parliament. Last Friday, Verdonk assured Hirsi Ali she need not worry about having lied about her past to get a passport, something she has admitted since 2002, while never causing a big scene. Until this week: Verdonk has announced that Hirsi Ali's Dutch citizenship should be declared null and void.

Hirsi Ali has now resigned her duties and will seek a new life in the US, while people in the Netherlands get in line to buy Arjan and Kay's precious anti-Verdonk t-shirts (already pre-ordered mine).

VVD joins D66 on heresy

European Union

With both van Aartsen and Verdonk coming out for protecting freedom of speech, VVD has now pretty much joined D66 in the opinion that old laws on heresy should be striken, rather than given new life.

There is not much honor in the iconoclasm of 16th century Holland, but prosecuting heretic words is not a good idea either. It's a shame the left turned the debate on terror acts into one of boundaries of free speech, and I'm glad the two parties currently an option for me are standing up for it.

Update: okay, can't blame the left this time: PvdA, SP and Groen Links are with us on this and want the law striken. It's just the CDA and some religious splinter fractions who like to limit freedom of speech. All I have to say now: fuck them, their God, and when I'm done with Mary, she ain't no virgin anymore. Just because I can.

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