#BattleAgainstCoronavirus: Exhausted Dutch health minister resigns, opposition leader gets responsibility
The death toll due to novel coronavirus isn't declining, the number of infected persons is rising, and countries are scrambling to curtail the menace. This week, Health Minister of Netherlands, Bruno Bruins, collapsed in the Parliament while speaking about the crisis. A day later, on Thursday, he resigned and Prime Minister Mark Rutte gave an opposition party leader the responsibility to tackle the pandemic.
On Wednesday, Bruno collapsed, said he needed rest
Bruno was speaking in the Parliament on the outbreak when he wobbled a little, got down on his knees, and had to be picked up by one of his colleagues. After drinking water, he left the building on Wednesday. Later, he wrote on Twitter he was exhausted. "I'm going home now to rest tonight so I can get back to work tomorrow," he wrote.
My body can no longer handle this: Bruno
The next day he tendered his resignation while comparing the battle against the disease with the highest level of professional sports. "I have concluded that my body can no longer handle this due to exhaustion," the 56-year-old minister said. Subsequently, his cabinet colleagues hoped for Bruno's quick recovery and PM Rutte appreciated the efforts he put in since the outbreak happened.
According to Rutte, Bruno has worked 'very, very, very hard'
"I want to say here that we have seen this man working very, very, very hard since he took office. He's been in charge of the whole process of getting it going. I want to thank him incredibly for that," the PM said.
With Bruno down, Rutte asked opposition leader to step in
While Vice Prime Minister Hugo de Jonge was given the job immediately, PM Rutte appointed an opposition MP as Bruno's successor. Martin van Rijn, who was the junior health minister on Labor Party's behalf in the previous Dutch coalition, will discharge duties for three months, Rutte announced. The PM said Martin has enough experience and that he was glad he came on board.
Party color is irrelevant now: Rutte
Martin is the chairman of the Reinier Hage hospital group and he brought in several changes in the healthcare system earlier. On his appointment, PM Rutte said the crisis was "so big that the party color is irrelevant". The current Dutch coalition is made up of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), Democrats 66 (D66) and Christian Union (CU).
Martin's appointment was welcomed by all
The appointment was welcomed by almost all politicians. Labor leader Lodewijk Asscher said, "If there is a national crisis, then you help where you can." Similarly, Pieter Heerma, chairperson of the CDA party, said Martin was a strong choice for the job. "In this crisis, we need authority, peace, and experience. He is the right person for that," he added.
Over 100 have died, almost 3,000 are infected
The death toll has reached 106 in Netherlands and 2,994 are infected. The country has imposed restrictions like shutting schools and restaurants. In a televised address this Monday, PM Rutte said all of the country's population will get infected. "In that scenario, we would actually have to shut down our country for a year or even longer, with all its consequences," he added.
