The members of GroenLinks and the PvdA want to see the abolition of the monarchy included in the joint election manifesto of their parties.
An amendment to that effect was adopted at the election congress of the left-wing combination with a narrow majority (more than 52 percent voted in favor).
Defenders of the amendment called the monarchy and the principle of hereditary succession that comes with it “an outdated system of inequality.” They also pointed out the many millions that go to the royal family every year. That money would be better off going to people who need it more was a frequently heard argument.
Nazi past of the late Prince Bernhard
Others pointed to the Nazi past of the late Prince Bernhard or to the colonial past to which the Oranges owe a large part of their wealth, according to a recent study. The beer that King Willem-Alexander drank with Russian leader Vladimir Putin during the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi was also included.
Opponents of the proposal emphasized the importance of history and the symbolic function that the royal family fulfils. It was also warned that a republic would not be a solution either. “Then we would have had President Rutte for the past twelve years,” he said.
The writers of the election manifesto had advised against the amendment. They believed that the current proposals, in which King Willem-Alexander would receive a purely ceremonial pension and would also have to pay taxes, went far enough.