nuSep 10, 2026, 13:03

Cabinet will not file complaint over data vault: 'Shutters will come down'

The Dutch cabinet will not file a criminal complaint regarding a newly rediscovered digital vault containing 25 million documents related to the child benefit scandal. While opposition parties demand a criminal investigation, the government prefers to wait for a follow-up audit to avoid obstructing official cooperation between the ministry and parliament.

The Dutch cabinet has decided not to file a criminal complaint regarding a digital vault discovered at the Ministry of Finance in 2025. The vault, established in 2019, contains approximately 25 million documents related to the child benefit scandal, some of which may have been relevant to earlier parliamentary inquiries. State Secretary Eerenberg argued that there is no evidence of deliberate misconduct and expressed concern that involving the Public Prosecution Service would hinder future cooperation with the House of Representatives. While opposition parties like DENK and SP have demanded a criminal investigation, coalition members are waiting for a follow-up inquiry by the firm BDO.

To ensure transparency, the government has agreed to distance the BDO investigation from the ministry and appointed a committee led by former MP Senna Maatoug to oversee the process. State Secretary for Benefits Sandra Palmen acknowledged failures in her handling of the discovery and offered her apologies, though she maintains that the existence of these documents will not affect the ongoing compensation process for affected parents.

Politics Economy Netherlands

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Based on reporting by nu. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.

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