THE HAGUE--The Kingdom Conference and Kingdom Concert next week may very well be the last public events that Piet Hein Donner (63) will attend as Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations.
Dutch media reported Thursday and Friday that Donner was expected to tender his resignation next week Friday when the Dutch Council of Ministers approves his appointment as Vice-president of the Council of State.
De Volkskrant and NRC Handelsblad newspapers both mentioned Liesbeth Spies as the most potential candidate to become the next Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations. The newspapers based their information on reliable sources close to the Dutch cabinet and the Christian Democratic Party CDA.
The cabinet wants to wrap up Donner?s appointment as Vice-president next week Friday after which Prime Minister Mark Rutte is expected make the official announcement on Donner?s resignation, his appointment and that of the new Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations. Donner became Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations on October 14, 2010. In the previous cabinet he was Minister of Social Affairs and Labour. He was also Minister of Justice from 2002 until 2006.
According to the sources, the CDA top is working in a small group on Donner?s successor. The CDA top has reportedly approached former Member of the Second Chamber Spies (45) for the position. Spies is currently Commissioner for the province South-Holland.
Spies chaired the CDA Board on interim basis for a short while last year. She was a Member of Parliament from 2002 to 2011 and was Vice-chairperson of the CDA party in Parliament for three years. She is said to have done both jobs well. Spies has not given any comment so far.
Prime Minister Rutte stated in the recent past that the successor of Herman Tjeenk Willink at the Council of State would be announced before Christmas. After his appointment, Donner will step down as Minister and start his new position at the Council of State on February 1, 2012. Queen Beatrix formally chairs the Council of State.
The Kingdom Conference in The Hague next Wednesday and the Kingdom Conference in Lelystad with Queen Beatrix on Thursday will be among Donner?s last public events as Minister. Donner will represent the Netherlands at the Kingdom Conference.
Reports circulated in The Hague this week that Prime Minister Rutte will not chair the Kingdom Conference. Instead Vice-prime Minister Maxime Verhagen will preside over the meeting with the overseas Kingdom countries at The Hague Hilton Hotel.
The delegation from Aruba, Cura�ao and St. Maarten, led by their Prime Ministers Mike Eman, Gerrit Schotte and Sarah Wescot-Williams respectively, always assumed that Rutte would chair the Kingdom Conference as he is the Chairman of the Kingdom Government.
The Dutch Government Information Service RVD stated on Friday that Rutte has other commitments, but declined to give specifics as only statements are made on the public part of the Prime Minister?s agenda. Rutte will not attend the Kingdom Concert either.
Source: http://www.thedailyherald.com/islands/1-islands-news/23337-donner-to-step-down-on-dec-16-.html
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