What the fall of the Rutte IV Cabinet in the Netherlands (see related stories) means for the Dutch Caribbean remains very much to be seen. Now-caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte has been in office for well over a decade and could theoretically see yet another term following an early return to the polls later this year.
However, despite being the largest party for years his conservative VVD has experienced difficulty finding and keeping coalition partners that agree with its stance on major issues. Only the government with labour party PvdA served its full four years, although number III came close between October 2017 and January 2021 with the same VVD/D66/CDA/ChristenUnie combination as IV.
Considering the rise of new farmer’s movement BBB in municipal and provincial elections, it will be interesting to see the party’s possible impact on the upcoming snap vote. Leftist parties are reportedly also considering forming a socialist bloc.
Kingdom Relations State Secretary Alexandra van Huffelen (D66) said she would continue her efforts on behalf of people of Caribbean islands until a new Council of Ministers is installed. Her party’s leader and deputy Prime Minister Sigrid Kaags also noted that standing still will benefit no-one.
However, what topics the outgoing government can continue to handle and which are considered too controversial must be determined by the current Second Chamber of Parliament. For Curaçao, Aruba and St. Maarten, refinancing the COVID-19 liquidity loans that expire in October is obviously crucial.
St. Maarten’s Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs stated last week that should no agreement be reached by mid-July, repayment will probably be postponed for a year. Whether that deadline is still firm in light of recent developments in The Hague at this point is anybody’s guess.
