There are still people who see a political future in D66, the party that is heading for a heavy election defeat after six years of governing with the VVD. “I became a member last Sunday,” says Aukje Gabriels from Goes. Together with approximately 25 other new members, she was welcomed in a special working group by Jan Paternotte, party leader in the House of Representatives, at the party conference in Apeldoorn on Saturday morning. Gabriels thinks it is important to join the party now where she can find her “political ideals”. “I hope that my contribution will contribute to a good campaign.”
The 25-year-old physiotherapist certainly does not want to accept the low polls – D66 has 7 seats according to the Peilingwijzer; a loss of 17 of the current 24. “Rob Jetten knows how to touch not only me but also many people in the country with his inspiring words.”
Another, less optimistic voice can also be heard among the estimated 1,200 D66 members present in the Omnisport sports complex this Saturday. “I actually don’t expect more than five or six seats,” says 40-year-old Seraphina de Looff from The Hague. “That is inherent to our party: sometimes we are widely popular in the country and then we are again the elitist administrative party that is punished. We are always in a wave movement.” De Looff, who works at the Ministry of Justice, does not mind that at all. “We have been able to achieve a lot in The Hague for a while now, but now we will have to take a step back. Being in opposition for a few years isn’t that bad in itself. Now other parties just have to show it and at some point we will get the chance again.”
‘Cyclic party’
Joost Dikker Hupkes, graphic designer from Heerde, also thinks this way. “D66 is a fairly cyclical party. We are currently out of favor for a while, but I am quite optimistic for the longer term.” Dikker Hupkes (50) believes that D66 should have profiled itself more in the past two cabinets. “We should have been a bit sharper politically and strategically. The VVD and the CDA find it easier to put the knife on the table.” He points to the discussion opened up by the CDA about nitrogen policy and to the VVD, which the cabinet dropped on migration at the beginning of July. “Not that I am advocating political games, but D66 sometimes sticks too much to the principles of agreements made and that is now killing us.”
Many members point out that taking government responsibility can be electorally painful. Yet it was good that D66 participated in national government, also with the VVD.
Party leader Rob Jetten is strongly opposed to the VVD, the coalition partner in recent years.
Jetten sneered at Yesilgöz
In his speech to the congress, he mainly sneered at Dilan Yeşilgöz, the new VVD leader. She has now opened the door to talking to the PVV again about cooperation – which Prime Minister Rutte has always blocked since the fall of his first cabinet in 2012. “We will never compromise with extremists,” Jetten shouted, followed by loud applause from the packed top sports hall. Jetten showed that he no longer wanted to do business with the VVD so quickly. “Continuing to govern with a partner who looks for an exit to the right stands in the way of a decisive and stable government.”
Jetten thus ignores the expectation that not D66 but the VVD or Pieter Omtzigt’s new party will be allowed to take the initiative in forming a new coalition after the elections. The D66 party leadership nevertheless believes it will play “a crucial role” in the cabinet formation, according to chairman Victor Everhardt in his welcome speech at the conference.
A disappointing election result offers space to critically reflect on the past periods of government, thinks 31-year-old Quincy Breidel from Rotterdam. Although joining the government was the right choice according to Breidel, it bore little fruit. “Many plans from the previous election manifesto were included in the coalition agreement,” he says, “but ultimately failed in implementation.” According to Breidel, now is the time to enter the opposition.
84-year-old Ed Roosma from Zeveraar expects that the party will have no other choice. He finds it sad that the party is so low in the polls, but does not seem surprised by it. “Parties from the middle often get a beating after governing,” he explains. In his view, D66 has “acted half-heartedly too often”. In the coalition, the party has had to make compromises and is “a bit weakened”.
According to party leader Jetten, the tide can still turn. It is a matter of “peaking at the right time”. He refers to the Apeldoorn sports hall, where the conference takes place. In 2025, athletes such as Femke Bol will have to prove themselves there during the European Indoor Athletics Championships. D66 faces the same task as the top athlete, Jetten thinks. “Spending countless hours on the training track and pushing yourself to the limit.” Who knows, the party might just win the final sprint in the last meters.