Drenthe remained noticeably underexposed during the House of Representatives elections. Only a few parties explicitly included the province in their programs, while many Drenthe themes were hardly discussed.
An overview shows which major parties did pay attention to Drenthe and which ignored it completely.
Based on the current figures, D66 appears to receive the most votes. Rob Jetten’s party does not pay separate attention to Drenthe in its election manifesto. D66 focuses on national themes such as sustainability, innovation and good public transport, but without specific references to Drenthe projects or problems. For the party, Drenthe seems to be part of the broader concept of ‘the region’.
The Freedom Party (PVV) will probably be the second party behind D66. Geert Wilders’ party does not mention Drenthe by name in its election manifesto. The party therefore does not show any concrete policy aimed at the province. The PVV also does not specifically link themes that are important in Drenthe, such as regional employment or facilities in rural areas.
The VVD, the current number 3 in the elections, is one of the few parties that does mention Drenthe by name. The Liberals emphasize the importance of the tourism sector in the province: one in fourteen people from Drenthe works in tourism. According to the party, this sector deserves support because it is of great economic importance to the region. In addition, the VVD sees opportunities for the airport in Eelde, which, according to the party, should be strengthened and further developed as a regional airport for the North.
GroenLinks-PvdA is one of the parties that does pay extensive attention to Drenthe. In their election manifesto, the combination party – which appears to have 20 seats – has even included a separate chapter about the province. The party wants to invest in large-scale housing construction and in the economic development opportunities created by the construction of the Lower Saxony Line. Furthermore, GroenLinks-PvdA advocates targeted investments in South and East Drenthe to build a sustainable, high-tech industry there.
The party also sees an important role for the Safety Center in Assen, which should develop into a national center for training and innovation. Finally, GroenLinks-PvdA wants to contribute to the restoration of the Colonies of Benevolence and the development of the Camp Westerbork Remembrance Center.
The CDA, number 5 in the elections with 18 seats, does not explicitly mention Drenthe in the election manifesto. The Christian Democrats focus in a broader sense on strengthening the countryside and regional communities, but without concrete reference to Drenthe or specific Drenthe projects.
Although JA21 – probably good for 9 seats – does not literally mention Drenthe, the party does have an eye for the airport in Eelde. In the election manifesto, JA21 advocates strengthening regional airports, with Eelde as one of the examples. According to the party, Drenthe airport should be seen as a hub for hydrogen aviation innovation in Europe.
The differences between the two largest parties, D66 and PVV, are small and so it is not yet definitive who will be the largest. It may take until next week before this is known and which party can appoint the first scout in the negotiations.