D66 MP quits ‘to work for Clinton’, claims jobless benefit

A D66 parliamentarian who said last week she was standing down to work for Hilary Clinton’s election campaign in the US now says she will stop claiming special MPs’ jobless benefits ‘as soon as she signs a contract’.

Wassila Hachchi, who says she is now in New York, surprised MPs and her party with the announcement that she was quitting Dutch politics and immediately raised questions about how she would finance her new role.

Politicians are entitled to unemployment benefits of 80% of their salary for the first year, followed by 70% for 26 months. The benefit can also be paid if MPs quit, rather than lose their jobs.

Commotion

Hachchi issued a short statement on Monday saying she was sorry about the commotion surrounding her departure. ‘The decision to leave Dutch politics was due to a personal, positive choice to contribute to Clinton’s campaign and learn from international politics,’ the statement said.

‘Hachchi aims not to claim benefits, as soon as she has signed a job contract.’

Two years ago there was a major row when it emerged Groningen’s mayor Peter Rehwinkel planned to claim the special benefit after standing down early to do a voluntary job in Morocco.