The last party congresses for the elections of the provincial council have ended. However, these were mainly national issues such as migration. “The parties address voters with national themes, a missed opportunity,” says political journalist Leendert Beekman.
‘It is clear that in reality all parties think that they are mainly dealing with the electorate with national issues such as migration and Ukraine. In my opinion, this is a missed opportunity given the great task of the provinces. Start talking about nitrogen, housing, energy transition, what land use planning will look like. It’s not enough about that,’ says Beekman.
The CDA stayed closer to provincial issues this weekend. ‘As Hoekstra started talking about conscription, he got to all the media, but first party chairman Pieter Heerma was on stage. With all the party leaders for the provincial council elections behind them, this also radiated something.
Heerma recounted the failure of neoliberal thought. ‘The CDA wants to stimulate community thinking again. Less me, more us. We need to get rid of the shrinking regions and ensure that the region becomes accessible.’
Hoekstra steals the show
Yet it was not Heerma who stole the show, but her party leader Wopke Hoekstra who tackled the problem of migration which is getting bigger every day. The current numbers are simply unsustainable, he said. Hoekstra wants a firm approach and a barrier around Europe. The contrast between Hoekstra and Heerma couldn’t be greater, says Beekman. “Send a double signal: is it about the provinces or is it about migration and conscription?”
Love declaration
PvdA and GroenLinks also kicked off the campaign, but it was mostly about cooperation. A great declaration of love. There were a lot of motions, there were votes, and they were very much in agreement. There will be a referendum among the members for a common list and an electoral programme. There must also be a European campaign, with a European list and group».
“They’re really getting close. We must also take into account the fact that there will be a program for parliamentary elections.’
Source: BNR
Fernando Dowling is an author and political journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. He has a deep understanding of the political landscape and a passion for analyzing the latest political trends and news.
