The presidium of the House of Representatives does not yet know whether it will launch an investigation into the leak surrounding the investigation into former chair Khadija Arib. Questions have recently arisen about the role of former chair Vera Bergkamp.
The case revolves around the leaking of the intention to investigate the behavior of former chair Arib. The news appeared in NRC even before Arib was informed.
Bergkamp’s former press officer stood trial for this, but was acquitted by the judge last week. According to the judge, it is clear that there was a leak from the House’s leadership, but it cannot be proven that the spokesperson was responsible.
The possible role of Arib’s successor, Bergkamp, also emerged in that investigation. For example, Follow the Money and Nieuwsuur reported on Wednesday that Bergkamp deleted the messages she sent to K. and that there was intensive contact with other potentially involved parties.
But if an investigation needs to be conducted into (former) members of parliament, the House must decide to do so. The Public Prosecution Service has no authority to conduct a criminal investigation into members of parliament.
The House’s leadership met on Monday to discuss the matter. But after hours of deliberation, the presidium had not yet reached a decision. The conversation will therefore be continued “at a later time.” It is not yet clear when.
And the investigation into Arib herself?
The investigation into Khadija Arib was launched following anonymous complaints about transgressive behavior during her chairmanship between 2016 and 2021. Arib herself spoke of an “anonymous dagger in her back.”
In 2023, a summary of the investigation was published. Not all anonymous complaints were confirmed in it.
Arib also doubted whether the presidium even had the right to launch the investigation based on those anonymous complaints. The judge ruled in February that it did.