General
After half-hearted apologies, Minister Van Weel finally bows deeply enough for the House of Representatives: 'It was really on the edge'
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During a late-night emergency debate on Thursday, Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel (VVD) issued final apologies to the House of Representatives regarding his previous statements about unprocessed police reports. The dispute arose after the National Audit Office accused him of misleading parliament by downplaying the severity of thousands of unresolved serious crimes in 2024. Although opposition parties expressed skepticism, describing his initial excuses as merely procedural, Van Weel acknowledged that members felt misled. Consequently, the House rejected a motion of no confidence introduced by the PVV, which was supported only by FVD. This marked the first time since the Jetten cabinet took office that a minister's position was at risk, highlighting tensions within the minority government.
Ozetta summarises; the reporting is the newsroom's