Normally, only voters with physical disabilities can get help in the voting booth when casting their ballot, but if it’s Home Secretary Hanke Bruins Slot (CDA) for that, everyone should have that option. “Even low literate voters or voters with intellectual disabilities have a strong desire to be able to vote independently,” says the minister. The Bruins Slots bill is now before the State Council.
Start with the basics
Trust in politicians has reached an all-time low. According to the Social Cultural Planning Office (SCP), only half of the Dutch are satisfied with the situation in The Hague. To reverse the trend, Minister Bruins Slot wants to start with the basics: the voting booth. ‘The basis of democracy is casting your vote. Restoring the link with society is one of the most important tasks of this cabinet,’ says the minister.
Currently around 2.5 million Dutch people have difficulty reading and, according to the minister, a large part of that group does not vote during elections. “If they’re given the opportunity to do that, they can also get more actively involved,” explains Bruins Slot.
Trials in fifteen municipalities
If all goes to plan and the law is approved, the minister wants to start trials in a limited number of municipalities first. “Obviously we have to look into how well it can work in practice, because it has to be done carefully,” explains Bruins Slot. “For example, people should feel the need to vote for certain people if they get help.”
“As a minister you really have to be very aware that you have to do what you say and say what you do.”
The next elections will be held next year, when we will vote on the European Parliament. The idea is that polling station officials in around fifteen municipalities would then be trained to assist people who need them in casting their votes.
Even the statements outside the polling station
Even outside the polling station, the minister sees that there is still a lot of work to be done to restore confidence in politics. Bruins Slot notes that campaign promises are not always kept. “I can only speak for myself here, but as a minister you have to be very aware that you have to do what you say and say what you do.”
On the other hand, Bruins Slot sees the Netherlands as a country of compromises and plans. “But once you have proposals, you have to make sure you actually implement them.”
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.
