As in any workplace, things sometimes go wrong in the House of Representatives, but the series of inattentions that have since occurred in the long-drawn-out debate about salaries in health care is unsurpassed. The only constant is the government’s response: the salary increase will not come.
A whole list of MPs has had restless nights due to the course of events. It started with SP MP Renske Leijten. In June, her party was the first to submit a motion with the PvdA to structurally better reward health care workers on the frontline of the corona crisis. “Applause is not enough” has since been the motto of the full opposition, which holds 75 seats in parliament. Any roll-call vote can therefore turn out to be in favor of the opposition, certainly because many political groups have been unable to attend in full for months due to the circumstances.
But that first time, in June, things went wrong in the opposition camp. Leijten was missing. The mood bell was not rung in the Kamergebouw, so she did not notice that she had to report to the conference room. Votes were tied at 70-70.
Not to worry, the opposition stated: a new chance next week. On the morning of the new vote, PvdA leader Asscher called on all opposition members to be there on time. After all, a lot was at stake. Later that day, he left the building with shame on his cheeks: unfortunately he himself had missed the vote. “Incredibly stupid.”
Even more uncomfortable, but now for the coalition, it became in August when PVV leader Wilders saw that there were too few members of the government parties in the house and he quickly organized a roll call vote. That was followed by the sudden running of coalition MPs from the building so that there was no more quorum. That seemed clever, until Wilders spoke shame about it and the mailboxes at VVD, CDA, D66 and CU were filled with questions from highly indignant voters.
The following week, when the motion was still put to the vote, it was again the opposition that had something to explain to its own supporters. Thirteen MPs were absent, one more for the opposition than for the government parties. Motion rejected: 69 against 68. With a little more fraction discipline, the opposition could have done more.
It doesn’t work that way
The latest miss occurred on Tuesday, when Wilders put his motion to the vote again and, to his own no small surprise, suddenly got a majority. This time it was CU Member of Parliament Stieneke van der Graaf who had a difficult story afterwards: she did not pay attention and accidentally voted in favor. Result: 69-67, majority ahead for the first time.
For a moment the opposition triumphed. The cabinet could no longer ignore this! But that is not how it works, Minister Van Ark made clear by letter on Wednesday: the cabinet remains of the opinion that a general salary increase is not necessary now and, moreover, unaffordable. It stays with the one-off bonuses already promised.
The opposition is furious. “You play dirty, dirty political games on the backs of the healthcare workers,” Wilders said during the corona debate on Wednesday. With the help of a parliamentary majority, Wilders could of course now call the cabinet to order. After all, the highest power lies with parliament. But then it must first prove that that majority is still there. A new blood-curdling roll-call vote will not be delayed for long.
