Guido van Woerkom, the controversial figure just appointed as the new national ombudsman, is to receive a €300,000 golden handshake from his previous employer.

The 58-year-old Van Woerkom resigned his position as head of motoring organisation ANWB in January after 15 years in the function when he became the only candidate for the ombudsman job.

Under good management regulations, managers are only paid a golden handshake if they are sacked or made redundant, the Volkskrant says.

A spokesman for the ANWB told the paper it was decided several years ago that Van Woerkom would receive a year’s salary if he departed.

Van Woerkom’s annual ANWB salary was €360,000.

He will receive €148,000 as national ombudsman, the same as other public servants such as the vice chairman of the council of state.

The new ombudsman is a controversial choice because of an anti-Moroccan remark he made four years ago. He apologised for the remark at the time and his apology was accepted.

However, Moroccan groups have questioned his fitness to be ‘the ombudsman for all the Dutch’.