Dutch would-be wolf-killing politician resigns in financial scandal

Translated from NOS TV in the Netherlands:

Monday 22 Jul 2013, 16:26

Soon, Member of Parliament Johan Houwers of the VVD party will resign. This confirms a VVD spokesman.

The VVD is the biggest party in the Dutch coalition government. This “liberal” party is “conservative” in economic issues, in the sense of being pro-Big Business. It is not “conservative” in the religious sense, often used in the USA.

Sources report that this resignation is about an integrity issue.

Wolves

The 57-year-old Houwers became an MP nearly three years ago. Previously, he had been a local councilor and alderman in Winterswijk. He was also a real estate broker for many years. His activities in parliament included regional planning and animal welfare.

Two weeks ago, Houwers was still in the news because he advocated the killing of wolves in the Netherlands following the discovery of a wolf at Luttelgeest.

Permanent committee

Earlier this year, the VVD decided to spend more time on the integrity of its politicians. They will have a permanent committee about integrity and more attention will be paid to the subject in training politicians. …

The reason for these measures included the criminal investigation against former alderman and senator Jos van Rey, who is suspected of corruption.

According to regional broadcasting organisation Omroep Gelderland, Houwers is said to have lied in a mortgage affair. According to Houwers himself, national police is investigating him about this issue.

Related articles

• Dead Dutch wolf’s dissection, video (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Dutch Labour Party youth opposes government’s austerity (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Wolf in the Netherlands after 150 years (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Eighteen new Dutch insect species (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Dutch Sandwich tern’s journey to England (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)