In this column, I proposed to place an old throne once again in the House of Representatives. Before the renovation, it stood in a nice spot at the Binnenhof and symbolised, for me, the empty seat of power. An empty throne that represented how, in our parliamentary democracy, no one could act as the boss and every exercise of power faced contradiction.
Erasmus Magazine is also widely read in The Hague, as a few weeks after the publication of this column, I received a message from Speaker Martin Bosma informing me that the old throne has found a place once again in the parliamentary building. A nice spot, in the hallway of the parliament, close to the ‘patatbalie‘ (chips counter). This is the name for the area near the meeting room where, on Tuesdays, at the start of the parliamentary week, journalists await politicians, hoping to catch the day’s news. It is also the place where gossip about others occurs and confidential information is leaked. Here, parliamentary journalists collect the weekly scandals, as if they are ordering some chips – hence the informal name patatbalie.
The empty throne is a symbol of a very different side of politics. Not a quick soundbite in the media, as is the case at the patatbalie, but the ongoing debate in the House. In a parliamentary democracy, where every argument is weighed and every intention is discussed. Where debate never stops, as the world continues to change. Where no one ever has the final word, as the seat of power must remain empty. A sluggishness that sometimes fills young politicians with disgust but is appreciated by more experienced parliamentarians, as they have seen the consequences of previous policies. Politicians who are not focused on filling the columns of the news media but on solving the problems in the country.
The empty throne also symbolises the role of the House of Representatives, which shouldn’t govern but has to oversee power. Under prime minister Mark Rutte, this was difficult, as the political leaders of the coalition were part of the cabinet. Ministers then managed to put pressure on the coalition factions in the House and thus curtailed the oversight power of parliament. Now, all four leaders of the coalition parties sit in the House and the pendulum has swung to the other side. Now, the faction leaders in the back rooms determine cabinet policy, while prime minister Dick Schoof has to wait in the corridor. The responsible ministers only learn after the fact what policies they must implement – subsequently being held accountable by the House for proposals that this House itself has devised. Who knows, the image of the empty throne might also lead the leaders of the current coalition parties to demonstrate more humility.
Ronald van Raak is a professor of philosophy.
