Jack van Gelder thinks Lidewij de Vos, who succeeded Thierry Baudet as leader of Forum van Democratie, is a top candidate. “But she is not asked anywhere,” says the former sports presenter.
It really bothers SBS 6 opinion maker Jack van Gelder that the media hardly gives a platform to Forum for Democracy, the party of Thierry Baudet, which has handed over the baton to Lidewij de Vos for PR reasons. She hardly plays a role in the current election campaign, because she is hardly seen in any TV programs.
A different sound
Jack van Gelder is very annoyed by this. “What I find strange, and I am not a supporter of Forum for Democracy at all, but I am a supporter of Lidewij de Vos, is: why is it not there? And will there be a different voice for once?” he says at the table. The Orange Sundaywhich had its season finale yesterday.
Table guest Victor Vlam, known as a media critic, then says: “I agree with you, because she is not in any talk show. She has indeed been with you twice (points to colleague Thomas van Groningen, ed.), but they now have six seats. They are the seventh party in the Netherlands and she is not in any talk show.”
Why fan?
Hostess Hélène Hendriks finds it interesting. “But why are you a fan of hers?”
Jack: “Because I think that – and it also has to do with her age, 28 years old – she talks very sensibly. She just scrapes everything off. Not looking at what we have now, no: what exactly do we want to achieve? Then she has a number of key points of which I say: you talk very sensibly. You talk about asylum, about climate, about housing, but she is not asked anywhere.”
Highway advertising
Thomas van Groningen, the presenter of News of the Day, sees many posters with Elodie. “She has a very visible campaign on the highway. If you now bring North Koreans to the Netherlands, they all think she is the leader, because she hangs out so often along the highway. They do that very well.”
He continues: “I think it’s strange too. I also asked her on the broadcast: ‘We are the only program where you are, which is actually strange. Don’t you get an invitation?’ She says, ‘No, we’re not getting an invite from anyone.’”
‘Not very strange’
According to Hélène Hendriks, it is quite logical. “That is not so strange considering the fact that Thierry Baudet of course held sway there.”
Thomas then: “Yes, and he passed the baton to her with the argument: then we will be invited again, because there is such a taboo on him and on her, the thought was, no. I have to say: it is now starting to bother us a bit that she really doesn’t show up anywhere.”
Smaller parties
Lidewij’s TV appearances can be counted on one hand, according to Thomas. “The NOS may have done it in such a leading series, but Pauw & De Wit or RTL Tonight could also have done it.”
“There are parties that are smaller. Mirjam Bikker can join anywhere. Or as the media you have to say: there is a cordon sanitary, but then you also have to say it, and not do it quietly. Then as editor-in-chief you also have to come out.”