DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

12 May 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

Anti-Ukraine treaty group sets its sights on Dutch political parties

November 1, 2016
Photo: Europa.eu
Photo: Europa.eu

One of the driving forces behind this April’s referendum on the EU treaty with Ukraine has launched a campaign against political parties which it says are ignoring the result.

Campaign group GeenPeil, which is related to shockblog GeenStijl, says the government is taking too long to decide what to do about the no vote and is launching a ‘spring offensive’ ahead of the March general election.

It now wants to convince people not to vote for the ruling VVD and PvdA or other parties which it considers ‘complicit’ in ignoring the outcome of the vote and are therefore ‘traitors to democracy’.

The government has had 202 days since the vote to decide what to do and its failure to abide by the vote and reject the treaty is ‘administrative arrogance,’ the campaign group says.

Separate declaration

On Monday prime minister Mark Rutte said he is working on getting approval for a separate Dutch declaration which would outline the Dutch position on the treaty and allow for its full ratification at the same time. That process is set to take several more weeks.

The turnout in the referendum was 32%, which made the vote legally binding. Although the result is only officially advisory, the government has said that it wants to ‘do justice’ to the result.

Meanwhile, two prominent supporters of the ‘no’ vote are now involved in political parties themselves.

Jan Roos, who was one of the leading lights of GeenStijl is to lead splinter political party VNL (Voor Nederland) into the March general election. And Thierry Baudet, a right-wing philosopher and eurosceptic, whose Forum voor Democratie also campaigned against the Ukraine treaty, has said he will fight for a seat in parliament in the general election.

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Uncategorized
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
Late PSV win in Rotterdam reignites title race as Ajax falter
Dutch rugby body sets up group to assess trans women policy
Amsterdam primary schools to phase out freelance teachers
Road races cancelled after Leeuwarden half-marathon runner dies
Say no to vaping campaign starts on Monday
NewsHomeEconomyArt and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you information about coronavirus in the Netherlands.

Many thanks to everyone who has donated to DutchNews.nl in recent days!

We could not provide this service without you. If you have not yet made a contribution, you can do so here.

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now