07 August 2023

POLITICO: 9 ways Dutch political paralysis hits the EU

It’s hard to punch above your weight if you're handcuffed. 

In Brussels, the Netherlands is known for its assertive positioning in EU legislation in a wide range of policy files. Despite its relatively small size, the Netherlands has a tendency to get involved, even on files that are not at the core of the Dutch domestic debate.

Its prime minister, Mark Rutte, is the second-longest serving European Union leader after Hungary's Victor Orbán, giving him the benefit of institutional memory and moral authority when speaking with fellow EU leaders. 

But just as the EU is racing to seal a number of key files before European election in June next year, the Netherlands finds itself in political limbo. 

Not only did the current governing coalition collapse; Rutte also announced he won’t run again. The next Dutch elections are slated for November, and are likely to lead to long searches for a new prime minister and enough coalition partners, given the fragmented political landscape. The focus of The Hague will return inward, potentially far into 2024. 

In theory, that could grant a bit more freedom to the Dutch diplomats in Brussels. But Dutch ambassador Robert De Groot is also on his way out, as he was nominated to fill the country’s vice presidency at the European Investment Bank in January.

As if that weren’t enough, key Dutch politicians like Finance Minister Sigrid Kaag and Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra have also announced their political departures. Weighing in on EU affairs was a big part of both of their jobs, and the pair also had international experience, giving them extra weight when they spoke in meetings with their counterparts. Freed from legendary compromise-making in the Rutte coalition, Dutch ministers might be pushed more heavily by their parties to sharpen their political position on key files for a Dutch audience, such as the EU’s fiscal rules or migration. ...

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