Rutte irritated by release of insulting pandemic messages: ‘Not pretty, but it says nothing’

Mark Rutte says he is “quite a bit irritated” that a Dutch parliamentary inquiry published private messages from the coronavirus period, including insults aimed at fellow politicians.

The former prime minister made the remarks during his second appearance before the committee investigating the Netherlands’ pandemic policy. He said ministers worked under intense pressure and used the messages to let off steam. “It is not necessarily meant maliciously. But it comes out, and then the whole society is occupied with it for a few days. It is not pretty, but it says absolutely nothing,” Rutte said.

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It is not necessarily meant maliciously. But it comes out, and then the whole society is occupied with it for a few days. It is not pretty, but it says absolutely nothing.

The messages included former minister Hugo de Jonge describing Kajsa Ollongren as “a gravel bin in the machine of every decision-making process.” Former minister Ferd Grapperhaus called Arie Slob a “soup dress” and a “whiner.” De Jonge also called a parliamentary debate “crap” and wrote that lawmakers would be punished in the afterlife for holding up the cabinet’s work.

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Next time they will not send it, but they will say it.

Rutte said ministers would be less likely to exchange candid messages if they believed those messages could become public. “Next time they will not send it, but they will say it,” he said. He attributed the tone of the exchanges to the “bonhomie” between Grapperhaus and De Jonge.

The inquiry is questioning its final pandemic-era witnesses this week under the theme “reflecting and looking ahead.” Rutte, who led the Netherlands through the crisis for two years, repeatedly returned to one word during the hearing: “Unavoidable.” He said the government’s focus on reducing infections to prevent hospitals from reaching “code black” made it unavoidable that economic interests and young people’s mental well-being came second.

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If you steer toward preventing code black, it is unavoidable that you introduce escalating measures.

Rutte also defended reliance on virus experts from the Outbreak Management Team. “If you steer toward preventing code black, it is unavoidable that you introduce escalating measures,” he said. “When all the other measures have been taken, you end up with school closures and a curfew. And that will happen again next time.”

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When all the other measures have been taken, you end up with school closures and a curfew. And that will happen again next time.