The Denk Party’s recent more conservative path has been causing confusion among its supporters. Denk rejects the issues that the party has voted on in the House of Representatives in recent years.
According to party leader Stephan van Baarle, these are just “focal points in the weighting” and, of course, a “huge” change is out of the question. This is what Nieuwsuur said in his first election broadcast.
“Rainbow obligation”
In his election manifesto last week, Denk wrote, “Shall we return to normality?” next to a photograph of a child and a mother looking anxiously at rainbow flags in public spaces. He created a mess by adding the text. this election campaign is a critique of issues such as co-parenting and what the Denk candidates themselves call the “rainbow imperative.”
Nieuwsuur analyzed Denk’s voting behavior and showed that the party has had very different views recently. In the House of Representatives, for example, Denk voted for proposals that would bring multiple parenting closer, but now opposes a plan that would allow children to legally have more than two parents.
In the program, Denk also speaks out against puberty blockers and hormone treatments for minors. The party has previously voted for proposals that would help reduce waiting times for transgender care. Also for teenagers and teenagers.
Nieuwsuur spoke to Denk supporters who felt that the change of course (first progressive, now conservative) had caused confusion. During the 2021 election campaign, gay Turkish-Dutch Sezer asked the party leader of the time, Farid Azarkan, whether he was with young people like him. Azarkan later answered yes. “If you look at how we vote in terms of supporting all groups, we have always supported that.”
Sezer says that Denk’s current election program is difficult to reconcile with this. “I don’t believe this. Denk has been doing its best for young people like me for a long time, but suddenly they come up with this campaign. Come out of the closet, think!”
Van Baarle says people like Sezer are still with him. But now some of his supporters are hoping for a more conservative course. Youth worker Mourad Ouari sees that many Denk young people in Schilderswijk in The Hague are fans of Thierry Baudet. “They are against vigilantism and what they call LGBTI brainwashing. You can find this at the Democracy Forum.”
Nieuwsuur spoke with several young Muslims who voted for Denk in 2021 but believed the party was positioning itself as too progressive. They also say that they have now switched to the forum.
Van Baarle doesn’t expect a major group to consider such a move. “People in the country know exactly what Baudet represents.”
Cooperation with the right?
Denk’s boss in the House of Representatives frequently criticizes the PVV, which he describes as a “so-called fascist sect.” Parties such as the VVD have also been impressed and are now opening the door to possible cooperation with Wilders. For example, according to Van Baarle, party leader Dilan Yeşilgöz “was going to put pressure on 1.5 million Muslims to come to power.”
Since last year, Denk, together with his right-wing counterpart Leefbaar Rotterdam, has been working on the Rotterdam city council in coalition with VVD and D66. This collaboration is also criticized by fans. Under the watchful eyes of this coalition, a demonstration by the anti-Islamic organization Pegida was able to take place, and a municipal councilor in Leefbaar tweeted a photo of Zwarte Piet. Celebrating President Recep Erdoğan’s election victory, Turkish Dutch people called Leefbaar am X “Turkish horn”. The party described the celebration as “an example of failed integration”.
Van Baarle says he has achieved a lot together with Leefbaar and VVD. According to him, more resources were allocated to combat discrimination in Rotterdam.
Nieuwsuur also said that he could not ignore national cooperation with the VVD.
Source: NOS
Emma Fitzgerald is an accomplished political journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in political science and international relations, she has a deep understanding of the political landscape and the forces that shape it.
