‘Stop foreign language campaign posters’ (update)
Integration minister Eberhard van der Laan has called on political parties of all colours to stop producing election campaign posters in other languages, Nos tv reports.
The minister says foreign language posters ‘do not fit in with the message’ that immigrants should learn Dutch.
So far posters have turned up in Turkish, Chinese and Arabic. All the main parties, apart from Geert Wilders’ PVV and the Socialist Party, are responsible.
Low turnout
On Wednesday an opinion poll showed only around one third of ethnic minority voters are planning to have their say in the March 3 local elections.
In Amsterdam, the VVD Liberal party has agreed to withdraw leaflets in Turkish and Chinese circulating in two borough council areas.
The party is also targeting expat English speakers with a special website section and radio debate.
But the city’s Labour party has refused to withdraw leaflets in other languages. ‘The reality is that not everyone in Amsterdam speaks good Dutch. But these people should be able to vote as well,’ campaign leader Lodewijk Asscher said.
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