He claims that his country must devote more money to defense and that his support for Ukraine is “Unconditional”. However, Pieter Omtzigt, the leader of the new social contract (NSC), one of the four ruling parties in the Netherlands, has just voted with the opposition a text which questions the participation of his country in terms of Europe of the Brussels Commission. Dick Schoof, the Dutch Prime Minister, had however, like all his European colleagues, approved this project during an extraordinary council, Thursday, March 6, in Brussels.
The twenty-seven agreed on this plan presented two days earlier by the president of the commission, Ursula von der Leyen. It is supposed to help member states invest in their defense and allow an overall effort of 800 billion euros, of which 150 billion would be borrowed and loaned from member countries. The usual hostility of the Netherlands to the idea of excessive debt is known, but Mr. Schoof had fell into general opinion, as well as to the calls launched to the Commission so that it considers additional proposals and funding. A request that Mrs. von der Leyen has since deemed premature.
You have 72.87% of this article to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.
Source: Lemonde