The Debate of the South brought together seven party leaders on Saturday: Geert Wilders (PVV), Dilan Yesilgöz (VVD), Henri Bontenbal (CDA), Rob Jetten (D66), Jimmy Dijk (SP), Joost Eerdmans (JA21) and Frans Timmermans (GroenLinks-PvdA). In a debate that revolved around themes that affect Brabant: asylum, housing market and water. Political views sometimes clashed sharply.
There were big fireworks in the field of asylum and migration. Wilders called for an immediate stop to the reception of asylum seekers and wants to use the resources for this purpose for healthcare. JA21 leader Eerdmans emphasized that people should be sent back from safe countries and criticized the past year of policy in the south. D66 leader Jetten and Timmermans (GroenLinks-PvdA) proposed small-scale shelter, with respect for refugees and attention to safety and crime.
‘Clown Bassie’
SP leader Dijk attacked Wilders for the unequal distribution of asylum seekers across municipalities and called him ‘clown Bassie who was in power’. Wilders replied sharply: “The Netherlands has had enough of those fake socialists like you who say: just come in.”
Housing market
The housing market and affordable housing were also important. GroenLinks-PvdA wants to invest 30 billion, especially in villages and towns, while Jetten even wants to build new cities. CDA leader Bontenbal argued for acceleration of procedures and tackling vacancy.
Wilders warned that abolishing mortgage interest deduction could reduce the housing supply, while CDA and D66 support a gradual abolition. Eerdmans sees nitrogen and the power grid as obstacles and mainly wants to use existing buildings, without saying goodbye to natural gas.
Water policy
Water policy led to sharp disagreements. PVV and JA21 want to interpret the European rules for water quality more broadly and possibly ask for a postponement, because the standards are far from achievable in 2027. Timmermans, Bontenbal and Jetten argued for stricter controls, agreements with neighboring countries and measures for companies. D66 wants to make water more expensive for large consumers, CDA wants to both encourage and oblige less waste discharge.
Watch the Debate of the South here:
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Floating voters in the picture
Reporter Jan Waalen followed the floating voters during the debate. Some chose a party during the debate, mainly GroenLinks-PvdA, but CDA, SP and VVD also attracted some voters. Motives ranged from concerns about water to interest in collaboration. Waalen noted that the public is shifting slightly to the left, but that many voters are still waiting to see how parties offer solutions for the housing market, climate and migration.