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Vote for me for a democratic PVV, says MP Hero Brinkman

Tuesday 11 May 2010

A split has emerged in the anti-Islam party PVV, with MP Hero Brinkman urging voters who want to transform party into a democratic organisation to vote for him in the June 9 general election.

Speaking on tv show Pauw & Witteman on Monday night, Brinkman said people should vote for him (number 11 on the party's list of prospective MPs) if they were in favour of a democratic structure for the PVV.

The party has often come under fire for being undemocratic because Geert Wilders is its only official member.

The MP and former policeman denied being in a power struggle with Wilders, but did not say what Wilders thought of his standpoint. 'Geert can only appreciate the fact I am using democratic rights. The right to freedom of speech is very important to him,' Brinkman said.

Brinkman also said he backed the establishment of a PVV party conference to establish policy. 'We could lose Wilders, he can go and do something else. We are doing well in the polls and so it is right that we offer voters a reason not to switch to another party,' he said.

Separate campaign

According to an interview given by Brinkman given to website nu.nl on Tuesday, the MP also plans to campaign separately in the run up to the election.

'I want people to be able to join a party, that they can vote at a conference and propose amendments,' he said. 'At the moment cannot test out standpoints on our supporters to find out what they think.'

Brinkman admitted he had deliberately chosen to make his position plain during the election campaign. This means the election candidate lists are now finalised and he can no longer be expelled from the party, nu.nl says.

Brinkman was forced to admit he had a drink problem last year after an incident at the parliamentary press bar last year.

Despite being one of nine sitting PVV MPs, he was given 13th place on this year's election list but moved up two places after other candidates dropped out.