AVP-Futuro coalition parliamentarians urgently need a course on the Kingdom Law process
Member of Parliament Endy Croes explained that members of the AVP-Futuro coalition, with the exception of Mike de Meza, were completely lost during Tuesday’s continuation of the parliamentary session discussing the consensus Kingdom law on sustainable public finances (HOFA). The only “defense” these parliamentarians could offer after more than ten hours of debate was that Evelyn Wever-Croes had signed the Administrative Agreement in June 2024, and that the consensus Kingdom law HOFA — recently submitted by their government to the Netherlands — was still a draft law, which would supposedly return to the Parliament of Aruba for discussion and a vote.
Sad that several parliamentarians don’t understand the process
Breaking news for these parliamentarians: the consensus Kingdom law HOFA will not return to the Parliament of Aruba for a vote.
Let’s clarify the process.
There are two separate laws involved:
1. The Consensus Kingdom Law on Sustainable Public Finances for Aruba (HOFA) – a law of the Kingdom;
2. The National Ordinance on the Safeguarding of Sustainable Public Finances – a local Aruban law.
The process for a consensus Kingdom law differs from that of a national ordinance.
Once the AVP-Futuro government approved, signed, and accepted the consensus Kingdom law HOFA, it was sent to the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom (Netherlands) on August 13, 2025, for final approval — officially starting the process.
When the Council of Ministers approved it on August 29, 2025, the Netherlands launched an online consultation, as it does for every law before it goes to the Dutch House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer) for voting. This consultation took place and closed on September 28, 2025.
All of this was carried out by the AVP-Futuro government without informing or consulting the Parliament, professional associations, labor unions, or the people of Aruba.
Afterwards, the law is sent to the Council of State (Netherlands) for advice. That advice goes back to the Dutch government, and a copy is also received by the Aruban government. Based on that advice, revisions are made, and the Council of Ministers makes a final decision before sending the draft Kingdom law to both the Dutch Parliament and the Parliament of Aruba, allowing them to ask questions. Once those questions are answered, the draft consensus Kingdom law HOFA is ready for the Dutch House of Representatives to vote on — after which it becomes valid for Aruba.
In other words: the Parliament of Aruba will not handle or vote on the HOFA Kingdom Law!
It will be the 150 Dutch parliamentarians in The Hague who vote on it — not the Parliament of Aruba.
Aruba can propose an amendment, but ultimately it must be introduced by a Dutch Member of Parliament during the debate, and again, it is those 150 Dutch parliamentarians who will vote on it.
So, to all the coalition parliamentarians who spent the entire day in session claiming that Aruba will vote on the HOFA Kingdom Law:
it would be wise for Mike Eman, Gerlien Croes, and Geoffrey Wever to give them an urgent crash course so they stop spreading nonsense about such a serious topic!
Stop deceiving yourselves and the people of Aruba.
Press release: MEP