The free-market Liberal party VVD is to go on ‘the offensive against the terror of mediocrity’, according to a new statement of party principles presented by leader Mark Rutte on Thursday.

The party is to focus on the ‘hard-working Dutchman who gives form and substance to his own future,’ the principles state.
‘The VVD will fight to raise the underclass; through good education and by… helping people stand on their own two feet.’ Teachers, the document continues, ‘are the key to success in education and should be given the room to practise their profession as well as they can.’
Rutte said in January that he was writing a new set of principles for the party, which won just 21 seats in the 2006 general election, its worst performance since World War II.
Recent developments, such as globalisation, migration and terrorism made it necessary to adapt the current declaration, which dates from 1960, Rutte said at the time.
The document, which will be put to the vote at the next VVD party conference, calls for ‘good citizenship, also from immigrants’ and maintains its commitment to the Netherlands as a constitutional monarchy under the House of Oranje Nassau.
Earlier this month it emerged that Rutte is also working on a new right-wing green agenda. The party believes that by ‘thinking big’ it can be a successful counterpart to the left-of-centre parties which claim the environment as their own territory, newspaper Trouw reported.