It should have been the big kick-off of the local election campaign, but that dominant national theme came back every Friday evening during the NOS radio debate: the war in Ukraine. It was also remarkably often about the great absentee from the debate: FVD leader Thierry Baudet, who was accused by the other parties of undermining democracy by supporting Russia.
Although the NOS had also invited local party leaders, the first major debate about the municipal elections nevertheless started with national party leaders who reflected on the situation in Ukraine. D66 party chairman Jan Paternotte expressed the hope that the war can motivate the Dutch to vote. Party leader Sophie Hermans of the VVD said that the Dutch can show in the voting booth “how important democracy is, and freedom is not self-evident”.
SP leader Lilian Marijnissen soon dared to politicize the war by saying that many of the parties present want to invest extra in defence, while the SP does not believe in this. “Will it help Ukraine with arms transfers to turn it into an even bigger, more terrible war? That question must be asked.” GroenLinks leader Jesse Klaver cleverly linked Ukraine to municipal politics by pointing out the role that municipalities have in the reception of refugees. “Then it really matters which aldermen will be in charge there.”
A number of invited parties had canceled the radio debate, including Forum for Democracy. Party leader Thierry Baudet preferred the presentation of his book on Friday evening The Corona deception in Amsterdam. Klaver (GroenLinks) said it was a disgrace that FVD attacks and makes political opponents suspicious, but at the same time avoids the debate. “When we need to talk about it, they’re not there again. It’s really unbearable and irresponsible.”
Black and white
Christian Union leader Gert-Jan Segers would have liked to confront Baudet in the debate with his open support – as the only Dutch parliamentarian – for Russian President Putin. “Politics is often about shades of gray, but in this war it is really black and white. If you think Putin is a beautiful guy then your moral compass is really broken.”
A number of parties, including GroenLinks and D66, have already ruled out governing parties such as the PVV and FVD after the elections. The CDA leaves this to local departments, but party leader Pieter Heerma thought this was a nonsensical discussion because of the radicalization of Forum. “They’re really not going to drive anywhere.” Heerma calls on voters not to vote for radical parties. “Don’t vote for a party that will leave you wondering later: why has violence and intimidation increased in the city council?”
All politicians who did participate realize that the war in Ukraine has consequences for the Dutch economy, which means that the new cabinet will be faced with hard choices. Energy prices will continue to rise, which will inevitably lead to a further decline in purchasing power for households. All parties agree that there must be some way of compensating for loss of purchasing power, especially for the lowest households. But how and how much, the representatives of the governing parties were not yet ready to comment.
“It is very clear to help people who need it with energy bills,” said Paternotte of D66. There is no difference of opinion about that.” But, Hermans of the VVD added: “We have to be careful to make sure that the money reaches the low and middle incomes.” According to her, it will not take the cabinet months to do this. “It’s about weeks.”
There is also agreement that additional investments in Defense have become more urgent as a result of the crisis situation in Eastern Europe. But, warned CDA party chairman Heerma. “Money doesn’t grow on trees. We will sometimes have to make difficult choices, and the cabinet will have to take the time to do that in the coming weeks.”