Glass walls in slaughterhouses: Party for the Animals

The Dutch animal rights party, Partij voor de Dieren, has called for glass walls in slaughterhouses, special courses for people who want a pet and a ban on goat farming in its latest manifesto.

The left-wing party has three seats in parliament and is predicted to win four to six seats at the general election on October 29.

In its plans, which will not be cost-checked by the Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis, the party prioritises animal welfare, repurposing animal farmland for housing, climate change adaptation measures and human rights issues, including recognising a Palestinian state and sanctioning Israel and Russia.

Leader Esther Ouwehand remains head of the list of candidates, followed by MPs Ines Kostić and Christine Teunissen.

The Netherlands has more than 100 million farmed animals and the party believes they should be granted constitutional rights. It wants to ban industries including fish, rabbit and goat farming and proposes: “glass walls will be mandatory in parts of slaughterhouses and animal stalls, so that what happens inside is visible from the outside.”

By reducing cattle farming by at least three quarters, the party says, land will be freed up for affordable housing. It wants to ban cruise ships, private jets and pick-up trucks, putting aside 5% of GDP for climate change and nature protection measures.

It also, reports NOS, proposes that the standard working week should be 32 hours.