Ton Elias: politics must not be too flat

It is undeniable tat in the distance Ton Elias on his white e-bike drive the breakwater. The characteristic liberal puts his bike for the red and white fire turret of the northern harbor head at Scheveningen. ,, Eleven kilometers cycled! '' Calls the VVD Member cheerful. He grabs a rod snapped, but the boyish bravado or Elias (61) is not rewarded with fish tonight. The fish biting Only When it is pitch dark.

You sit in the center of power and hear everything as group Secretary of the biggest ruling party.

Course not ,,. I sit at the periphery of power, am oilman mesh bag and must arrange things. I do not sit in the core team. That's not at all that bad. Then I can a few times a week at home with my wife. Though late, between eight and nine half-fit, so then what the dinner lighter. That no one Believes, but that is so. I sport a lot, that usefull Believes no one. ''

You make a joke about it, but you are fighting against your weight. How comes that?

I do not fight, I could leave the wine, but I do not. I have a burning disorder. I exercise twice a week under the guidance and twice a week at home. I do very much. It means that I do not get a bigger anyway, that's quite something. I sometimes last only a half year but pockets eaten out. Another is over three times as much off, but I lost 20 kilos. Year and a half bags ... That life is not meant for. I watch a little bit, I'm fine. ''

You lost this year's battle for the chairmanship of the House under the supervision of your children and your second wife.

,, I had a substantive story and I'm not unfair, I can lose. That my family sat in the stands, I liked very much, but because I had not asked them. The next day I said to my wife: "I have no obligations as Chamber President in the May recess, we go on holiday!"

,, That is also the nature of the beast. I got that from my father. He left after the war every year on April 11 as breakfast in bed by my mother a steak and a glass of red wine assists. Because he came from Buchenwald concentration camp after 2.5 years at that date. I learned to persevere with him. If it turns out: persevere! And if something harder against you, even push a little harder! Hard humor I got from my father. ''

You're older than he has been.

,, That's weird, I did when I was older than he experienced consciously. He was 59: fell down the stairs while he cut the ivy. Died instantly. I have at my house immediately arrange for the removal of the ivy. My mother found him and she never came over. They were very cute together. I was 25. ''

You are an opponent of referenda. Why?

,, If we had organized a referendum, the day after the boy in normal Western clothes was washed (Aylan, last September, ed.), The Netherlands said, we have to take more refugees. That image grab every parent's throat. If it had happened five weeks later, the results were: Away with the refugees. That is why I am so opposed to referendums. They are dangerous. Some things are too complicated, we have appointed politicians who think about more extensive than most voters are willing to do. But then those politicians that do! Otherwise the legitimacy way. ''

You are concerned about how it goes on in parliament.

, The parliamentary manners naturalize and to the detriment of our respect. There is however some shouted. This is at the expense of the content. Many journalists also only pay attention but that chatter. Facts do not matter, but there is something called. And if that affects the journalism ...

,, Because sundry often content so lean on, sitting MPs according to their cries often Peacock. They thereby determine the appearance of politics. Who sat there most often? Types as Tofik Dibi, Hero Brinkman. His straw fire politicians! History will tell, you did nothing about it. It only makes noise in those talk shows.

,, In late February Halbe Zijlstra said in Parliament during the refugee debate that if it failed to stop the flow, would not exclude any measure. Since we last in the group talked about, that's quite a bit. After that debate, I hear Nieuwspoort two serious journalists of the TV network news say to each other did not happen so much because Wilders was so peaceful. Unbelievable! ''

What would you like to give MPs ending up in the heat of the debate?

,, I think you should not cry, must not be so flat. PVV MP Dion Graus once wished me that I would be hit himself by an exploding briefcase. I do not think so at levels that do not belong here in the Netherlands. I'm still remained very quiet. ''

How do you look at the master of parliamentary whip, Geert Wilders?

,, That's sensationalism. Which sits at to come up with the morning group secretary Martin Bosma what they will do again. I think it's dangerous. It is a form of ophitserij through parliament. The PVV used parliament merely as an electoral platform. They do not think anymore about how the law should work. ''

You can also get firmly out of the corner.

,, Call it the paradox of the good atmosphere. Because the occasional blunt things work with the shouting, the normal political debate in which you occasionally strong attacks even out of the question. 'Take it nice! " they say. But it is not Old People's Club! '

What bothers you feel even more at?

,, On the huge amount of useless motions. I submit there is very little, but maybe fifteen since I parliamentarian. The deluge of motions are likely to be taken too seriously mine. Political scientists work also look to it. The madness that they are to tally motions! If you are a good parliamentarian as you submit many motions! Such Carla Dik-Faber is on the front page of Freedom Netherlands because she has submitted most motions. And the worst thing is - that's why I hesitate to say it - that if you raises, then it seems like you're jealous and self unable to create media attention. That is not true. I know all the tricks and so can apply them. I have the Dutch taxpayer savings of nearly 1 billion with my work. 980 million, to be exact. All those pointless motions not. ''

Can you break down?

,, Yes, and it is much more than a billion. Which ICT committee that I headed, has ensured that ICT projects have not been passed on Defence and the PGB. That saves hundreds of millions. The abolition of the BAPO (Promotion Labour Elderly) is also a nice one. The scheme comes down to you from your 54th in exchange for ten percent salary two days a week could go fishing in order to stay motivated the other day for the class. Madness cost 650 million per year. I've collected 77 seats in parliament with great difficulty against. ''

How do you do, escape from the madhouse that "Courtyard" hot?

,, I read, sports, sailing and I cook. I regularly go out to dinner with my wife. It's wonderful that it has its own world, she is the director of an executive search firm. Even when I overnight at a quarter to three get home, we'll talk.

,, I am one of the seven men in the VVD whose wife earns more. My wife does not believe in the glass ceiling, she says women do it all yourself. It is also true, if you look at The Great British Bake Off then a guy says, "This is the best cake that exists." A woman presents the cake with the words: 'I do not know-he succeeded quite well in the middle. " Well, you'll never get there! ''

By Editorial AD Photo: Martijn Beekman