January 16, 2024 at 7:20 pm Update: 6 hours ago
The law on the distribution of asylum reception will be introduced. The proposal can count on sufficient support in the Senate, now that VVD senators have also announced that they will vote in favor next week.
The VVD does not want to abandon local administrators, organizations and Ter Apel, says VVD senator Marian Kaljouw. “We didn’t make the decision overnight.”
“We need to divide the tasks more equally. What Flevoland can do, the whole of Holland must also be able to do.” Although the faction recognizes that the law is “not the mother’s prettiest.”
Kaljouw stresses that more needs to be done in the field of inflow and integration. Last autumn the VVD House of Representatives voted against the law because it believes that measures should first be taken to ensure that fewer asylum seekers arrive in the Netherlands. That vote took place before the election.
VVD senators are confident that the new House of Representatives will adopt these measures. “After the elections in the House of Representatives there is a different majority, in favor of restrictions on influx,” says Senate group leader Edith Schippers.
Outgoing State Secretary Eric van der Burg (Asylum) reacted with relief after the debate. “I pulled it pretty hard.” He is pleased that the law will have a large majority in next week’s vote.
Yet the Secretary of State’s response was modest. “I have seen the struggle, even within my own party. I have received messages from members of the VVD, who are very happy that it seems that the law is being passed. But I have also received messages from people, including members of the VVD, who are it is very expensive and disappointed.”
Group leader Edith Schippers (VVD) congratulates outgoing State Secretary and party colleague Eric van der Burg after the debate.
The VVD faction of the House of Representatives wanted to “stand still”
VVD leader Dilan Yesilgöz does not take it for granted that her position in the formation will become more difficult. You said this in the evening, after the talks that also took place on Tuesday with the political leaders of the PVV, the NSC and the BBB.
Yesilgöz stressed that “each House, each body, has its own responsibility. There is absolutely no diktat from me or any member of the VVD saying how this should be done.” Shortly thereafter, Senate senators announced their support for the dispersal bill.
In mid-December Yesilgöz, among others, called on the Senate and the outgoing cabinet to “take care” of the law. The call caused a stir in Hague politics, after which Yesilgöz changed the call.
Schippers doesn’t think he will put Yesilgöz in his shirt now. “No, that’s not the case at all.”
The spread law could come into force as early as February 1st
GL-PvdA, CDA, D66, ChristenUnie, Volt and SP have already expressed their support for the dispersal law. This means that a large majority in the Senate is in favor of the law. The Senate factions of the PVV and JA21 reacted strongly to the VVD’s “turn”.
PVV leader Geert Wilders is also critical. “MY PARADISE”, he writes on social media X.
The Senate will vote on the law next week. The intention is for the rules to come into force on February 1st. Municipalities then have until November to work together to ensure that sufficient shelter places are created. In the short term, the law therefore does not provide any relief for places such as Ter Apel and Budel.
The distribution law in brief
- All municipalities will have the legal duty to welcome asylum seekers.
- The number of reception places that a municipality must provide is calculated based on population and socioeconomic status.
- But not all municipalities need a center for asylum seekers. Municipalities in each province can make agreements with each other about who does what.
- A municipality receives a cash bonus if it does more than what is required or if it offers special care.
- If municipalities cannot reach an agreement among themselves, the government can, in extreme cases, determine where a reception center for asylum seekers will be located.
2024-01-16 18:20:13
#law #distribution #reception #underway #support #Senate #Politics