CDA Leader Buma Working Hard at VVD Minister's Congress, Bruins

Sybrand Buma, head of the CDA, chooses a famous opponent at the party congress in Groningen this Saturday. And an unexpected

Jesse Klaver of GroenLinks – the famous – that he finds "arrogant". According to Buma, in his speech, "he has no respect for voters and democracy", as Klaver had qualified the provincial elections in this "referendum for the government". For the CDA, elections are about everything that "touches people" directly: shortage of housing, new roads, public transport. "But also about climate policy, culture and traditions close to home."

The president of the CDA Ruth Peetoom bid farewell Saturday.

Klaver is of the opposition. The fact that Rutte III, which may well require a majority in the Senate after the provincial election, does not seem to find Buma as interesting.

Striking – exceptionally hard – is what Buma says of VVD Minister Bruno Bruins who reviews the hospitals. In his speech, Buma first addresses the mission that the government has set itself: to regain the trust of citizens. "It hurts when a hospital falls during the night." More than a week ago, MC Slotervaart and IJsselmeer hospitals went bankrupt. Buma says in Groningen: "It should never have happened, it should have been avoided."

By whom? Buma does not mention the Minister of Health Care by name. It responds to the controversial statement that the Bruins made immediately when hospitals had problems – that the government is not there to "keep a pile of stones". Buma says, "Hospitals are not just a pile of stones, and bankruptcies are not a test of resistance for health care, as the minister said."

Cause of Problems

According to Buma, the cause of the problems is "a liberal thought about return". "This has penetrated too far into our society and this has also been reflected in the minister's remarks." A hospital is, according to Buma, no business with customers and contracts. "Care is about the treatment and the care of vulnerable people About the dedication of staff."

When Klaver goes to Klaver, Kathalijne Buitenweg (GroenLinks) shakes her head and takes notes. She is invited to the CDA conference, as members of other parties do more often. CDA members who surround her applaud loudly. They also do so in sharp criticism of Bruno Bruins, although he is a similar government party.

Listen here to our podcast Haagse Zaken on the CDA.

The CDA has been losing for months in the polls and elections are approaching now. It is not for nothing that the conference takes place in Groningen – it is one of the 37 municipalities where the elections will take place on November 21st. Provincial elections will be much more important from the beginning of next year.

At lunch time, government members and local members of the CDA travel to Groningen city center on a double-decker bus. Bright green scarves are prepared, as well as glasses, coats and green shirts. Hugo de Jonge, Minister of Health and Deputy Prime Minister, is the only one to walk the streets without a scarf. Ank Bijleveld, Minister of Defense, calls: "Hugo, it's really something for you." He laughs and addresses them, distributes leaflets. "Can you vote, can I give you this from the CDA?"

Finance Minister Wopke Hoekstra is recognized on the street a few times. Although some doubt. "Are you a substitute for the minister?" It is difficult for CDA members to find voters on this Saturday afternoon. Many people who come to shop do not live in Groningen and therefore have no elections. There are also a lot of tourists.

The members of the CDA in The Hague have been there since Friday night. The youth department then organizes a party, and Bijleveld stays on the dance floor until late into the night. On Saturday morning, Wopke Hoekstra and Secretary of State Mona Keijzer went to the De Verbinding construction company, where deaf people work. They receive a guided tour, they talk to employees via a sign language interpreter, Hoekstra himself also knows what gestures and what use. He has an information file about the company. "What can we do for you?", He asks at the end – and takes notes.

Hugo de Jonge is in a retirement home on a Saturday morning at coffee time. With a stainless steel coffee machine, he walks around a room with a majority of women. There is live music, just a little too loud. Sometimes he sits down and asks, "What do you think of my beard?" Most of them like it well. He talks to seniors about the care they receive, the reasons they live here and the length of their stay.

A man who has just spent a week and finds the minister "rather young" says, "Why are you here, do not you have to go to places where things are not going well?" Not just, says De Jonge . He gets up, others also want coffee.