Netherlands: Prime Minister recognizes errors in COVID-19 management

As the Netherlands prepares to celebrate a second Christmas under strict health restrictions, Prime Minister Mark Rutte in an interview with the popular daily De Telegraaf acknowledged "mistakes" in the management of the health crisis.

REUTERS - PIROSCHKA VAN DE WOUW

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

The government has imposed virtual confinement since last Sunday.

The Dutch still have the right to leave their homes, but they have nothing but essential shops, everything else is closed and school holidays have been extended by a week.

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With our correspondent in Brussels

,

Pierre Bénazet

In

the Netherlands

, fireworks are also prohibited for New Year's Eve, although it is a tradition very deeply rooted in the kingdom.

Critics are not silent, especially at the States General.

The Dutch Parliament and Prime Minister Mark Rutte admit in an interview " 

communication errors

 ".

The last time we heard from Mark Rutte was when the Prime Minister formally asked the Dutch to stop going en masse to Cologne or Antwerp to do their Christmas shopping, or to go to a restaurant or a show. .

An implicit recognition that the current measures do not pass with the Batavians.

A population not sufficiently immune believes the Prime Minister

Mark Rutte therefore decided to comply with the exercise of the Christmas interview and received the very popular daily

De Telegraaf

in his office in The Hague: "

 I have mistakes to correct 

", considers the Prime Minister who s 'is preparing to take over the head of a government coalition when he has resigned since January 15.

" 

I did not succeed in convincing

 ": for Mark Rutte, the communication error consists in having believed too much in the empowerment of citizens and in not having insisted on compulsory measures.

Faced with the arrival of the

Omicron variant

, the Netherlands realize that they are not sufficiently immunized: " 

We should have started the vaccinations earlier 

", says the Prime Minister.

This December 25, the Dutch will be able to

celebrate Christmas

with four guests over thirteen years old at home.

On other days, it's two guests maximum.

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  • Netherlands

  • Coronavirus

  • Health and medicine