Frans Timmermans—who recently stepped down as the bloc’s climate change and environment policy chief to lead the newly merged left-wing Labour Party (PvdA) and the Greens (GL) in the next Dutch election—will campaign at the expense of the European taxpayer.
The left-wing alliance confirmed to De Telegraaf that, after his self-chosen early departure as vice-president to the European Commission (where his masterminding of its WEF-backed Green Deal earned him the nickname ‘climate pope’), Timmermans, 62, will make use of Brussels’ generous so-called ‘transitional compensation’, to which he is entitled for another two years.
This means that even after next November’s elections, EU citizens will have to pay up to support Timmermans.
It follows then, that in theory, Timmermans could still receive Brussels money on top of his wages as a Member of Parliament: €8,889.89 gross per month.
The EU’s former top man left it unclear whether, as a possible future Member of Parliament, he will have his wages supplemented by Brussels, or for how long he would draw on Brussels’ funds.
Well-known Dutch anti-globalist firebrand, Eva Vlaardingerbroek, expressed puzzlement over the revelation.
And who’s paying for that salary [40% to 65% of Timmermans’ over €300,000 in wages as EU Commissioner]? Oh that’s right! We are! The deplorables that @TimmermansEU wants to lock up in 15-minute cities while we munch on crickets and bring sacrifices to the climate Gods.
“This [situation] is simply not acceptable,” Dutch TV host Rutger Castricum decried in the popular talk show Vandaag Inside, where he had been invited. “It is incomprehensible. It really is the first big misstep of PvdA-GroenLinks [the party merger Timmermans is leading] as far as I am concerned.”
One of the three talk show hosts, Johan Derksen, found himself in agreement with Castricum. “In the eyes of public opinion, it is very bad given that he is heading a socialist party, which should stand up for Joe Sixpack. He is just lining his pockets.”
Last July, Timmermans expressed higher aspirations than being a mere MP, as he wants to succeed outgoing PM Mark Rutte as the Netherlands’ next prime minister.
While according to a recent poll, Timmermans’ leftist alliance is enjoying a comfortable lead, Europe Elects Netherlands correspondent Nassreddin Taibi said that Dutch polls “tend to change a lot coming closer to an election, often leading to some sort of consolidation behind bigger parties due to tactical voting.”
Before his ten-year stint at the EU, Timmermans was a Member of Parliament and served as Dutch Foreign Minister under Mark Rutte from 2012 to 2014.
