Thursday 16 September 2021
After the disaster in Afghanistan
Dutch foreign minister resigns
The Dutch parliament decided the unsuccessful evacuation of local Afghan workers from Kabul airport to the Ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs. The latter says there is nothing she can do but accept the consequences – and resigns.
Dutch Foreign Minister Sigrid Kaag has resigned following harsh parliamentary criticism of the failed evacuation of Afghanistan. Parliament had earlier adopted a motion to reject in The Hague by 78 votes to 72. Parliament gave credit to the left-wing liberal foreign minister for the unsuccessful evacuation of local Afghan staff from Kabul.
The Christian Democratic Defense Minister, A.K. Bielefeld, also received a refusal. But you decided to stay in the office. Kaag was acting minister and had only held that position since May. No new coalition government has been formed since the parliamentary elections in March.
Both the opposition and the ruling Christian Union party voted in favor of the rejections. Then the foreign minister resigned: “Your parliament judges that the government acted irresponsibly. So I can do nothing but accept the consequences.”
It is not yet possible to predict the results of the formation of the government
It is unclear what political consequences this move will have on government formation. At the weekend, Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s right-liberal VVD, the left-liberal D66 with Kaag and the Christian Democrats should start talks on forming a minority government.
As in Holland, there was also in Germany meanwhile Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas in criticismAfter wrong assessments of the situation in Afghanistan led to the evacuation mission, which was sometimes chaotic.
