The outgoing government ministers expressed their happiness at a breakthrough in the formation yesterday and that negotiations on forming a new coalition can now finally begin. They stress that there is no doubt that the current government, which resigned in January over the allowances issue, will continue as usual.

According to Minister Olungren (Home Affairs), “the club will never be the same.” She notes that after the election, the four parties became “on a different relationship to each other.” In the current coalition, the CDA is the second largest party, but on the formation table is now the D66.

Minister D 66 says: “We did not enter the elections with this alliance, and we did not exit with this alliance either.” In her view, the result, after more than six months of trouble, is that four parties have crossed their objections and said constructively: “We think we can get out of that.”

New Program New People

Minister VVD Dekker (Legal Protection) also insists that there is no doubt going forward. “There will be a new government, with a new program and maybe even new people.”

Most ministers did not want to answer the question of whether they wanted to be part of the next government before the start of this morning’s cabinet meeting. They believe that the stage of “puppets” has not yet reached.

Only Secretary of State Knobs (Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations) says unequivocally that after four years it still makes sense to continue his work. “I’m having fun and there’s still so much to do. I’m still full of energy.”

Minister of Economic Affairs Block is the only one who indicated that No longer a minister you want to be.