Indignation amongst members of Parliament last Tuesday afternoon: minister Sigrid Kaag appears to have preferred to give a speech at Studio Europa in Maastricht above the weekly question time in Parliament, where she is expected to answer questions by the opposition. However, none of the commotion in The Hague is noticeable in the Sint Janskerk. In a speech lasting three quarters of an hour, Kaag goes into great detail about her vision on the new cabinet’s EU course.
A subject that has been given a whole new connotation the past two weeks. “When I received the invitation for this speech, we thought that war in Europe was something that belonged to the past,” Kaag begins. “Peace had become something that we took for granted. Putin’s attack in Ukraine, however, is a brutal wake-up call. The past few weeks, we have seen an unprecedented unity and decisiveness in Europe. We are now at a crossroads: will the EU simply continue to muddle along in the old manner of making compromises, or has it finally turned the page?”
Daunting task
Kaag’s preference is clear: the future of the Netherlands lies in a more powerful and more effective Europe. Although she praises the EU for the stability and safety that it has brought its citizens, the Union is certainly not perfect. In order to be able to stand strong in an uncertain future – with the unpredictable consequences of war, pandemic and the climate crisis – the member states will have to deal with things differently. “A huge, maybe even daunting task, but it is crucial.”
Moreover, one in which the present cabinet would like to take the lead, according to the minister. They want to seize the crisis to invest in the country’s own defence and to strengthen the collaboration between member states in this field. In addition, Kaag hopes that the Netherlands can take on a leadership role in the struggle against climate change. She also applauds the European Committee’s intention to discontinue using Russian gas as quickly as possible. “I can’t say it was a blessing in disguise, but aside from the geopolitical value, this also has advantages for the climate.”
Superpower
If Europe wants to continue playing an important, independent role on the geopolitical stage, then the EU must also maintain the position of economic superpower, Kaag states. That is why she argues for a stricter observance of the budgetary regulations in countries in the eurozone, with independent supervision and automatic sanctions. This would ensure a stronger financial and economic basis.
Despite the broader context of Kaag’s story, one subject is dominant during the round of questions: Ukraine. “If the EU stands for peace, are we actually doing enough to protect the Ukrainian people,” panel chairman Segers wants to know. As with other questions, Kaag’s safe and unsurprising answer follows line of the cabinet. In this instance: focus on de-escalation and prevent the NATO from becoming deeply entangled in the war. “That is an uncomfortable message, but there is no easy answer.”