Election watch: right to family life and floating voters

The Netherlands goes to the polls to elect a new government on November 22. Here’s a round-up of today’s election news.

The right to family life

The family is the cornerstone of society and the right to a good family life should be enshrined in the constitution, according to the three Christian parties in parliament and the pro-countryside BBB.

“The family gets a little ignored in the Netherlands,” said Chris Stoffer, leader of the fundamentalist Protestant SGP, which believes in government according to Biblical principles. “We need to give the social, caring side of families more attention.”

A family, says Stoffer, consists of a mother, father and children but the text of the draft legislation is more neutral. “I know other parties think differently,” he said. “Everyone can recognise themselves [in the draft law]. It is D66 proof.”

The Netherlands has 2.6 million families with children living at home, of which 1.8 million have at least one child under the age of 18.

To become part of the constitution, the draft legislation must be voted on twice in both houses of parliament, and a two-thirds majority is essential at the second reading.

Half of voters are switching sides

Just over half of voters in the forthcoming election are planning to vote for a different party than they did in 2021, according to I&O Research.

The shift is down to the arrival of Pieter Omtzigt’s NSC and, to a lesser extent, to the BBB, which was new at the last election.

In addition, some 23% of voters do not yet know who to back in the November 22 vote. In 2021, at the same point in the campaign, the figure was 16%.

I&O pollster Peter Kanne told the AD that if there is to be a real shift in the polls it will take place this weekend, when the big radio and television debates are scheduled.

But it would be “wishful thinking” to expect a major turnaround, he said. “Floating voters are not wondering about voting for any party, but the ones that match their ideas.”

More to follow