From minister to lobbyist, filling your pockets
Van Nieuwenhuizen controversial: from minister to lobbyist
VVD'er Cora van Nieuwenhuizen has quit as minister. She will be chairman of the industry organization of energy companies. A possible consequence: Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate officials are not allowed to talk to her for two years. People have a good sense of self-interest. Prince Bernhard jr. who decides that certain artists are allowed to perform at his Formula 1 party. Free. She will work as chairman of the Energy-Nederland Association, the industry association of energy companies as from 1 October. That club represents Shell, Eneco, Vattenfall and Essent, among others. Russian Gazprom is also a member of the lobby club. Plans became known a day earlier for the government's worth $7 billion to make the energy sector more sustainable.
Tom-Jan Meeus, parliamentary editor of NRC points out that circular which stipulates that administrations are not allowed to lobby in former policy areas for two years after their departure was silently withdrawn at the end of 2019.
The anti-corruption organization Transparency International explains: “The Energy Netherlands Association, the Association of Energy Companies (including Shell, BP, Essent, RWE, Enneco and Gazprom) buys with former minister Cora van Nieuwenhoven as chairman even more influence on Dutch policy and legislation than they already had.”
Demissionary Cabinet Members resign early, report ill or switch portfolio. At the same time, Rutte fills his cabinet with attack forces. Minister Van Nieuwenhuizen lobbies for the energy sector. MPs become Secretary of State. Not pure, critics say. “The moral democratic compass is missing.” The Rutte III Cabinet is a dovecote .
It is an unprecedented long nose to the voter, who had to believe in all those good intentions presented in March and voted in mass conscientiously. And for six months now, nothing else has been heard than who doesn't want to play with whom. The schoolyard lift. Then do a real banana monarchy. That's where the formation is so squeaked. As it is quite normal in some banana republics that a friend of the head of government interviews him extensively before state broadcasting in the run-up to 'elections'. The fact that Jort Kelder also funded a propaganda of Forum for Democracy draws away the final veneer of his journalistic independence. No problem for Op1, no problem in Banana Country. Marc Chavannes
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