Henri Bontenbal
Leader of the CDA and of its group in the Dutch House of Representatives · Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA)
Where they stand
The latest thing they said on each issue, dated. Tap an issue for their words and the source.
Economy and environment
Housing Build faster, fewer rules
Said
The coalition will put home-seekers first, invest in housebuilding and keep scrapping rules that get in the way.
“We zetten de woningzoekenden op een, investeren in woningbouw en gaan door met het schrappen van belemmerende regels.”
Our translation We put home-seekers first, invest in housebuilding and continue scrapping obstructive rules.
- Nitrogen and farmingNothing on record yet
Climate targets Keep or raise the targets
Said
He criticised the cabinet for scrapping climate measures, saying this puts the Dutch 2030 climate targets out of reach.
“Het klimaatprobleem is niet kleiner geworden, integendeel. Als ik lees dat een deel van de warme Golfstroom de komende decennia dreigt stil te vallen en dat op me laat inwerken, dan slaat de schrik me om het hart. Het klimaatbeleid van het nieuwe kabinet staat daarmee in schril contrast. Verschillende maatregelen zijn geschrapt en iedereen die redelijk is ingevoerd in het klimaatbeleid weet dat de Nederlandse doelen voor 2030 hiermee uit zicht raken.”
Our translation The climate problem has not become smaller, on the contrary. When I read that part of the warm Gulf Stream threatens to come to a halt in the coming decades and let that sink in, it frightens me. The climate policy of the new cabinet stands in stark contrast to that. Various measures have been scrapped and everyone reasonably versed in climate policy knows that the Dutch targets for 2030 are thereby moving out of sight.
Society
Asylum Stricter, within EU law
Said
The cabinet wants to bring asylum inflow down, put the reception chain in order and arrange departures; he welcomed falling numbers and a lower grant rate.
“Het kabinet wil drie dingen doen. We willen de instroom naar beneden brengen. We zien gelukkig dat die cijfers dalen. Het tweede is de keten op orde brengen en het derde de uitstroom regelen. Het inwilligingspercentage gaat gelukkig ook fors omlaag.”
Our translation The cabinet wants to do three things. We want to bring the inflow down. Fortunately we see those numbers falling. The second is putting the chain in order and the third is arranging the outflow. The grant rate is fortunately also going down sharply.
The Netherlands in the world
The EU A stronger EU
Said
The coalition takes a strongly pro-European course because the Netherlands needs Europe to stand strong in the world, though payments to the EU should not rise unconditionally.
“volgens mij zie je in het coalitieakkoord een sterk pro-Europese koers, omdat we het besef delen dat we Europa enorm nodig zullen hebben om sterk te staan in de wereld. Dat zie je in de paragrafen over Europa. Er is een heel groot besef dat Nederland sterk moet zijn in Europa en dat wij Europa nodig hebben. Dat betekent niet dat je de afdracht aan Europa ongeclausuleerd zou moeten laten stijgen.”
Our translation in my view you see a strongly pro-European course in the coalition agreement, because we share the awareness that we will need Europe enormously to stand strong in the world. You see that in the sections on Europe. There is a very great awareness that the Netherlands must be strong in Europe and that we need Europe. That does not mean that you should let the contribution to Europe rise unconditionally.
- UkraineNothing on record yet
Israel Restrict trade or arms
Said
The CDA will back every cabinet step to put more pressure on Israel and asks for national measures too, such as the announced ban on goods from Israeli settlements.
“Het CDA zal alle stappen van het kabinet steunen om meer druk uit te oefenen op Israël. We begrijpen dat de Europese aanpak om met gelijkgestemde landen samen op te trekken de voorkeur heeft, maar we willen de minister-president dringend vragen om ook nationale maatregelen te nemen, zoals het vorige week aangekondigde verbod op producten uit Israëlische nederzettingen.”
Our translation The CDA will support all steps of the cabinet to exert more pressure on Israel. We understand that the European approach of acting together with like-minded countries is preferred, but we want to urgently ask the prime minister to also take national measures, such as the ban on products from Israeli settlements announced last week.
No change of mind on record yet: every position above is the latest they have stated, with its date.
How this works
Each change shows what they said then and what they said later, in their own words, dated, with the source.
Every quote is checked word for word against a saved copy of its source. Translations are labelled.
The short labels on each line are our summaries.