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

11 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

Donor law and ‘completed life’ champion MP Pia Dijkstra to quit politics

September 22, 2020
Photo of D66 MP Pia Dijkstra
D66 MP Pia Dijkstra has proposed a change in the law.
Photo of D66 MP Pia Dijkstra
D66 MP Pia Dijkstra

D66 MP Pia Dijkstra is quitting politics after the general election in March next year, after initiating landmark donor registration legislation and a bill to facilitate euthanasia for people who consider their life to be complete.

Dijkstra (65) is leaving because she thinks it’s time ‘to make way for the next generation’, she told the Volkskrant in an interview.

Dijkstra has been an MP for 10 years during which time she was the driving force behind the new donor legislation which came into effect in July. Under the new law everyone over 18 will be automatically registered as a donor unless they actively object.

Dijkstra’s proposal to make euthanasia available to people who feel they have lived a complete life is controversial and unlikely to become law any time soon in the face of opposition from coalition partners CDA and ChristenUnie.

However, Dijkstra said she is not discouraged because ‘the law on euthanasia and the donor law were 20 to 30 years in the making’.

Dijkstra remarked that the political climate had hardened during her time as an MP. ‘I submitted my bill on euthanasia for completed lives two months ago and then a priest who works for the [religious broadcaster] EO put a picture of the grim reaper on Twitter subtitled ‘Death 66’. I have put up with a lot of abuse in my time but this is going much too far.’

Dijkstra is often vilified on the social media, she said, but political parties, too, join in the fray. CDA MP Madeleine van Toorenburg, for example, said D66 was obsessed by death. ‘You have to wonder if she knows what she is doing, ‘ Dijkstra said. Van Toorenburg later apologised.

The MP, who was a journalist and television news presenter before she entered politics, said she was looking forward to being ‘boss of her own time again’.

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Politics
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
Not a holiday camp: Faber plans to stop all outings for refugees
Major chaos awaits on Dutch motorways from this weekend
New pope Leo XIV is seen as socially engaged bridge-builder
Police bust record number of drugs labs, many in urban areas
National library in The Hague robbed of 6 rare Russian books
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