As the debate over debt refinancing and cooperation with the Netherlands continues, a serious warning has been issued regarding the consequences of accepting a “Rijkswet” (Kingdom Law). The primary argument is that a law of this caliber is superior to our local laws, such as a Landsverordening (e.g., the current LAft), which could tie the hands of our representatives in Parliament for a long time, if not forever.
The Superiority of Kingdom Law and the Role of the Netherlands Recent press conference statements explain that once Aruba enters into a Kingdom Law, we cannot exit without Dutch approval. Although “exit clauses” might exist, it is described as a dead-end road. The most critical point is that the final decision-making power over these laws lies with the Tweede Kamer (House of Representatives) in the Netherlands.
This opens a deep democratic questioning where the country moves backward instead of forward: The Netherlands strips away the power of the citizens without a valid reason, especially since Aruba is complying with its finances.
- Politicians in the Netherlands are the ones voting on these laws.
- The people of Aruba did not vote for those politicians, nor do they have direct representation in the Tweede Kamer.
- Consequently, Aruba is forced to accept whatever The Hague decides, with little room for protest.
This is the path that the AVP–FUTURO government led by Mike Eman, Geoffrey Wever, and Gerlien Croes is creating for Aruba: a “semi-status” similar to the BES islands like Bonaire.
The Impossibility of Local Change A major concern is that if a future Aruban Member of Parliament wants to propose a change to a Kingdom Law or any decision in Aruba, the Parliament of Aruba itself will no longer have the power to make that change alone. If The Hague is not pleased with the proposal, it will not be changed. What do we call this modus operandi? Fair? Dictatorship over a country where the Netherlands doesn’t know the daily struggles of the people? Colonialism? Modern slavery?
According to the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Articles 15 to 18), Aruba has the right to provide information and submit a proposal to the Tweede Kamer. However, the final decision remains exclusively in The Hague. This means local MPs, elected by the people to represent them, are left practically powerless. Now, the golden question arises: “Does a parliament without power have the right to exist?” If Parliament only exists for the sake of expenses paying salaries to be “puppets” of the Netherlands why should the people of Aruba feel the need to vote for a Member of Parliament at all?