Dutch junior finance minister quits after questions over his personal investments

Associated Press

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch junior minister for finance has quit following criticism of his refusal to publish details of his personal investments. He is the first member of the new hard right-dominated Dutch Cabinet to resign since it was installed in July. Folkert Idsinga is a member of the New Social Contract party that campaigned last year on pledges to restore trust in elected officials following a string of government scandals. On Friday he insisted he had done nothing wrong, saying he had followed established procedures by declaring his investments to the official who vetted new Cabinet members and putting them into a holding foundation so that he could not interact with them while in office.