EXTENT OF THE SCANDAL IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY CLEAR

Five years ago, on January 15, 2021, the Rutte III cabinet fell. “An historic low point, this part of our national history. A scandal so big. Citizens were made unfairly and unsubstantiated fraudsters. Renske Leijten looked back during the 'Early' broadcast on Radio 1 with Merel Wielaert on January 14, 2026.A look back at five years of recovery.Early! - January 14, 2026 - NPO Radio 1 Missed | NPO Radio 1

THE UNPRECEDENTED HUNT FOR CIVILIANS

“It's a government failure of epic proportions. Parents lost their jobs, their income, their homes, even their children. The Tax authorities does nothing wrong. You had yourself to thank for the relocation,” Renske Leijten outlined.

LYING IN COURT

Lawyer Eva Gonzálex Pérez, wife of the owner of Childcare Agency Dadim in Eindhoven, fought for years against the unjust recoveries from her husband's clients. It came to light that there was a lie in court. Files were missing essential documents. ' Renske wrote a book about it “We couldn't make it more fun”.We couldn't make it more fun, Renske Leijten | Book | 9789401620734 | Bruna(Order from your local bookstore!

In Leuker we can't make it, Renske Leijten impressively describes the personal side of the biggest political scandal in recent Dutch history.

Summary

In the disconcerting We can't make it more fun former Member of Parliament Renske Leijten gives a face to the benefits scandal. With the benefits scandal, the tax authorities plunged countless families into misery, resulting in money problems, stress and an endless legal battle. Renske Leijten was one of the main political drivers who got stuck in this dossier. Of course, she was not alone in this: she worked closely with lawyer Eva Gonzálex Pérez. The first allowance parents sought legal help from her as early as 2014. But who is Eva Gonzálex Pérez really, and what motivates her? Why did she, in particular, manage to get to the top of the administrative Netherlands and force them to open up? Renske Leijten tells her story and reconstructs how Eva's efforts — using crucial documents from within — led to uncovering one of the biggest political scandals in recent Dutch history. In an empathetic way, Leijten describes the personal, human side of the matter that was front page news for years, and would ultimately even lead to the fall of the Rutte III cabinet. “It started with her. She is the tax authorities' nightmare, and that is a huge compliment.” − Jan Kleinnijenhuis (allegiance) about Eva Gonzálex Pérez

GOVERNMENT HAS A CERTAIN VIEW OF PEOPLE

“Do you need surcharges? Then you are a profiteer. A profiteer becomes a fraud. Citizens are not self-reliant. Prime Minister Mark Rutte's apology was not enough. All the separate elements went wrong. Why was this pushed under the rug? Parliament, Ombudsman and Journalism worked together. Major parliamentary debates prevailed. There was a lot of research and recognition for the parents. '

NOT TO TRUST THE GOVERNMENT WITH BLUE EYES

“All state powers must look in the mirror,” said Michiel van Nispen, chairman of the Parliamentary Survey on Fraud Policy and Services in February 2024. “The three state powers are blind. Blind to people, blind to rights. ' The judiciary is not independent. They are there for citizens. The Council of State maintained an unfair and disproportionate line for an unnecessarily long time. “If 150 euros were not paid, you could have to repay 100,000 euros”. 'The tax authorities even filed cases, appealed. Parents were unable to defend themselves in youth care. The case law wrongly ruled in the right by the government.

LIVING SPACE DECREASED

“Protecting human rights, having autonomy, that wasn't there. Group-based discrimination was part of the Fraude/Allowances service's way of working. A municipality also appeared to be able to target you. A historic scandal".WORST-HIT PARENTS ARE STILL UNACKNOWLEDGED"People have been crushed by the system.” Among the hardest hit are many entrepreneurs. 75% of their businesses no longer exist. Bankrupt, stopped.de House of Representatives of the States General recently passed a motion to investigate this. There is no recognition and recovery five years after the fall of the cabinet. https://lnkd.in/eRQig5RxOp Eemland1 radio, you can listen to my interview about “Five years after the fall of the Rutte cabinet” on January 15, 2026, with Annette Kraft, here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=x2E9AXb2hQKpoZZZ&v=hF7zwU2bHy8&feature=youtu.be