That the cabinet has fallen does not, according to Parliament, necessarily mean that no decisions will be taken in the coming period. The caretaker cabinet may simply continue with current policy on many subjects, the MPs have decided in recent days.
In three days, eighteen debates took place in which the special committees of Parliament considered all current subjects. With which subjects may the caretaker cabinet continue and which must be left until there is a new cabinet?
In the majority of those debates, no subject was declared controversial, as it is called in politics. Some subjects are not politically sensitive, for example. But even sensitive or much-discussed subjects – such as policy in the area of housing and asylum reception – may be handled by the caretaker cabinet.
After a cabinet fall, it is customary that not many important political decisions are taken anymore. But former coalition partners VVD and BBB, among others, already indicated that as far as they are concerned, many things would be continued. BBB leader Caroline van der Plas previously called it “really irresponsible” if policy on subjects important to her would come to a standstill.
‘Continuing in times of standstill’
Many parties in the House of Representatives think so too. The caretaker cabinet has, among other things, received the green light for the climate plans of caretaker minister Sophie Hermans, the asylum laws of former minister Marjolein Faber, the nitrogen plans of caretaker minister Femke Wiersma, and many Defense plans.
D66, for example, indicated during the nitrogen debate that it considers it important “to let everything continue in these times of standstill”.
Not all parties felt that way. Parties such as GL-PvdA, SP, and DENK often called for subjects to be declared controversial. MP Joris Thijssen (GL-PvdA) said, for example, that the cabinet “should do as little as possible” now that it is in caretaker status.
That much policy has not been labeled controversial does not mean that all parties agree with this. In the area of asylum reception, many opposition parties are critical of the laws of Faber, who has since resigned. One of those laws will be debated next week.
A number of subjects were declared controversial. These include, for example, the transgender law and a number of letters about the cannabis experiment. The House will vote on those subjects at a later time. The list may also change in the coming period. For example, the committees may later decide to add certain subjects.