Eén NL
Encyclopedia
Eén NL is a Dutch
political party
founded in September 2006. It took part in the 2006 Dutch election
under the leadership of Marco Pastors
and Joost Eerdmans
, but a dismal election result leaves the political future of the party quite uncertain. The party is seen as one of the political heirs of the late Pim Fortuyn
.
The Eén in the name Eén NL, meaning 'one', emphasizes national unity where NL is the standard abbreviation of the Netherlands.
The party broadly stands for opposition to mass immigration to the Netherlands, tax cutting and shrinking government, zero tolerance on crime, constitutional reform (particularly more direct democracy and the direct election of the prime minister and members of parliament), restoring the "human dimension" in large public sectors such as education and health care, and a skeptical attitude to European integration.
Although the party is critical of the "islamization" of the Netherlands, in favor of the assimilation of minorities and opposed to further immigration, it is perceived as taking a less hard line on this issue than other right-wing parties such as Geert Wilders
' Party for Freedom
or Hilbrand Nawijn
's Party for the Netherlands
. Several moderate Muslims support the party.
On September 20, 2006, Anton van Schijndel, formerly of the VVD, joined the party and on September 24 he and Eerdmans formed a new parliamentary group with the provisional name Groep Eerdmans-Van Schijndel. The definitive list of candidates was presented on September 30, 2006. Among the new additions to the list were Hans Smolders, Pim Fortuyn's former chauffeur (the man who chased Fortuyn's assassin and was responsible for his apprehension), Fortuyn's young brother Simon Fortuijn and Jan Dirk Blaauw, a former member of the VVD parliamentary party.
The party program was presented on October 9, 2006, and in November 2006 Marco Pastors published a political pamphlet as well.
On November 15, the party released a radio advert, in which party leader Marco Pastors likened the apathy of "the establishment" towards the "Islamization of Holland" to the laxism of Dutch politics towards the Nazi threat from Germany in the 1930s. In a talkshow Pastors said that the Dutch government must act at once, because "Hirsi Ali
has already had to leave the country, Theo van Gogh
has been murdered, and honour killing is becoming more widespread." Pastors pointed out that even those immigrants that are integrated say that things cannot go on like this.
A lawsuit filed against Pastors by the political opponent Moslim Democratische Partij
was not honored, the judge argued that although the remark was sensitive it was not outside the bounds of law as it remarked not on Islam itself but on islamization as a civic phenomenon.
, but did not get enough votes for a seat in the House of Representatives. Their candidates for the election were:
increase on gasoline
introduced by Labour Party
minister Wim Kok
in 1991.
The key issues are:
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
founded in September 2006. It took part in the 2006 Dutch election
Dutch general election, 2006
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on November 22, 2006. And followed the call for new elections after the fall of the Second Balkenende cabinet....
under the leadership of Marco Pastors
Marco Pastors
Marco Pastors is a Dutch politician. He is currently political leader of the local party Leefbaar Rotterdam, a member of the city council for Rotterdam and the political leader of Een NL, a Dutch political party at the national level...
and Joost Eerdmans
Joost Eerdmans
Bernard Johannes Eerdmans is a politician in the Netherlands, and member of the Eén NL party.-Personal life:Eerdmans studied Management Science at the Erasmus Universiteit in Rotterdam...
, but a dismal election result leaves the political future of the party quite uncertain. The party is seen as one of the political heirs of the late Pim Fortuyn
Pim Fortuyn
Wilhelmus Simon Petrus Fortuijn, known as Pim Fortuyn was a Dutch politician, civil servant, sociologist, author and professor who formed his own party, Pim Fortuyn List ....
.
The Eén in the name Eén NL, meaning 'one', emphasizes national unity where NL is the standard abbreviation of the Netherlands.
The party broadly stands for opposition to mass immigration to the Netherlands, tax cutting and shrinking government, zero tolerance on crime, constitutional reform (particularly more direct democracy and the direct election of the prime minister and members of parliament), restoring the "human dimension" in large public sectors such as education and health care, and a skeptical attitude to European integration.
Although the party is critical of the "islamization" of the Netherlands, in favor of the assimilation of minorities and opposed to further immigration, it is perceived as taking a less hard line on this issue than other right-wing parties such as Geert Wilders
Geert Wilders
Geert Wilders is a Dutch right-wing politician and leader of the Party for Freedom , the third-largest political party in the Netherlands. He is the Parliamentary group leader of his party in the Dutch House of Representatives...
' Party for Freedom
Party for Freedom
The Party for Freedom is a Dutch right-wing political party. Founded in 2005 as the successor to Geert Wilders' one-man party in the House of Representatives, it won nine seats in the 2006 general election, making it the fifth largest party in parliament, and third largest opposition party. It...
or Hilbrand Nawijn
Hilbrand Nawijn
Hilbrand Pier Anne Nawijn is a Dutch politician of the Party for the Netherlands . He was Minister for Integration & Immigration from July 22, 2002 until May 27, 2003 and later a Member of the House of Representatives for the Pim Fortuyn List .Nawijn was born in Kampen...
's Party for the Netherlands
Party for the Netherlands
Party for the Netherlands is a Dutch right-wing Fortuynist political party founded in August 2006 by Hilbrand Nawijn, a member of the Dutch House of Representatives....
. Several moderate Muslims support the party.
On September 20, 2006, Anton van Schijndel, formerly of the VVD, joined the party and on September 24 he and Eerdmans formed a new parliamentary group with the provisional name Groep Eerdmans-Van Schijndel. The definitive list of candidates was presented on September 30, 2006. Among the new additions to the list were Hans Smolders, Pim Fortuyn's former chauffeur (the man who chased Fortuyn's assassin and was responsible for his apprehension), Fortuyn's young brother Simon Fortuijn and Jan Dirk Blaauw, a former member of the VVD parliamentary party.
The party program was presented on October 9, 2006, and in November 2006 Marco Pastors published a political pamphlet as well.
On November 15, the party released a radio advert, in which party leader Marco Pastors likened the apathy of "the establishment" towards the "Islamization of Holland" to the laxism of Dutch politics towards the Nazi threat from Germany in the 1930s. In a talkshow Pastors said that the Dutch government must act at once, because "Hirsi Ali
Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Ayaan Hirsi Magan Ali is a Somali-Dutch feminist and atheist activist, writer, politician who strongly opposes circumcision and female genital cutting. She is the daughter of the Somali politician and opposition leader Hirsi Magan Isse and is a founder of the women's rights organisation the AHA...
has already had to leave the country, Theo van Gogh
Theo van Gogh (film director)
Theodoor "Theo" van Gogh was a Dutch film director, film producer, columnist, author and actor.Van Gogh worked with the Somali-born writer Ayaan Hirsi Ali to produce the film Submission, which criticized the treatment of women in Islam and aroused controversy among Muslims...
has been murdered, and honour killing is becoming more widespread." Pastors pointed out that even those immigrants that are integrated say that things cannot go on like this.
A lawsuit filed against Pastors by the political opponent Moslim Democratische Partij
Moslim Democratische Partij
The Muslim Democratic Party or MDP is a political party in Belgium which was formed in 2003, as a result of the poor showing of the alliance RESIST between the Marxist-Leninist Workers Party of Belgium and the AEL at the 2003 Belgian federal elections.The party was founded by Dyab Abou Jahjah,...
was not honored, the judge argued that although the remark was sensitive it was not outside the bounds of law as it remarked not on Islam itself but on islamization as a civic phenomenon.
Elections
Eén NL took part in the 2006 Dutch general electionDutch general election, 2006
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on November 22, 2006. And followed the call for new elections after the fall of the Second Balkenende cabinet....
, but did not get enough votes for a seat in the House of Representatives. Their candidates for the election were:
- Marco Pastors, councillor in Rotterdam for Leefbaar RotterdamLeefbaar RotterdamLivable Rotterdam is a political party in the large Dutch city of Rotterdam. It won the council elections of March 2002 due to the charismatic leadership of Pim Fortuyn. This made it the city's largest political party, a position held for 30 years by PvdA...
. - Joost Eerdmans, member of the House of Representatives.
- Hikmat Mahawat Khan, business consultant and co-founder of the Contact Groep Islam.
- Ronald Sorensen, councillor in Rotterdam for Leefbaar RotterdamLeefbaar RotterdamLivable Rotterdam is a political party in the large Dutch city of Rotterdam. It won the council elections of March 2002 due to the charismatic leadership of Pim Fortuyn. This made it the city's largest political party, a position held for 30 years by PvdA...
. - Secil Arda, business consultant.
- Sander Simons, PR adviser / former broadcast journalist.
- Anton van Schijndel, member of the House of Representatives.
Party Program
The party published its party program on October 9, 2006. However, media reports already provided some details in the week before. The party calls for a 4% income tax reduction across the board, will abolish almost all Dutch foreign development aid, and will return to the taxpayers the "Kok Quarter," a sales taxSales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
increase on gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
introduced by Labour Party
Labour Party (Netherlands)
The Labour Party , is a social-democratic political party in the Netherlands. Since the 2003 Dutch General Election, the PvdA has been the second largest political party in the Netherlands. The PvdA was a coalition member in the fourth Balkenende cabinet following 22 February 2007...
minister Wim Kok
Wim Kok
Willem "Wim" Kok ; born September 29, 1938) is a retired Dutch politician of the Labour Party . He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from August 22, 1994 until July 22, 2002....
in 1991.
The key issues are:
- Democratic reform:
- elected prime minister and mayors, although the party is not in favor of a republic
- abolition of the Senate and reducing the size of the House of Representatives
- Government:
- reduction of number of ministries to 6 (security, environment, general affairs, finance, foreign affairs, social affairs)
- 30% reduction in civil servants in next 4 years, transparency in the appointment of government officials
- Taxation
- reduction of general income taxes by 1% per year
- abolition of gasoline tax introduced by the Dutch Labour Party Minister Wim KokWim KokWillem "Wim" Kok ; born September 29, 1938) is a retired Dutch politician of the Labour Party . He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from August 22, 1994 until July 22, 2002....
in 1991 - keeping the tax exemption on housing loans
- Security:
- introduction of minimum sentencing, lay judges
- more effective police force by cutting bureaucracyBureaucracyA bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
, legalization on the production of soft drugs
- Immigration
- deportation of illegal residents, greencard system
- Integration
- strict separation of church and stateSeparation of church and stateThe concept of the separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state....
, no government subsidies for religious and ethnic organizations - ban on burkaBurkaA burka is a dress made from felt or karakul . Karakul being quite expensive, burkas were usually sewn from felt treated to look like karakul...
s, new immigrants to be required to speak Dutch, official publications to be in Dutch only
- strict separation of church and state
- Education
- downsizing schools, cutting management, emphasis on teaching practical skills
- Europe:
- Access for new East European workers to Dutch job market only when existing unemployment is resolved.