Groep Bontes/Van Klaveren

Groep Bontes/Van Klaveren
VoorNederland
Leader Bram Moszkowicz
Chairman Vacant
Party Secretary Joram van Klaveren
Treasurer Johan Driessen
Leader in the House of Representatives Louis Bontes
Founded 21 June 2014
Split from Party for Freedom
Headquarters Plein 2
The Hague
Ideology Classical liberalism[1]
Liberal conservatism[2]
Euroscepticism[1]
Political position Right-wing[2]
International affiliation None
European affiliation Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe
European Parliament group None
Colours Blue
Senate
0 / 75
House of Representatives
2 / 150
States-Provincial
0 / 570
European Parliament
0 / 26
Website
vnl.nu
Politics of Netherlands
Political parties
Elections

Groep Bontes/Van Klaveren is a parliamentary group in the House of Representatives of the Netherlands formed on 15 April 2014 by Louis Bontes and Joram van Klaveren, two MPs who had left the Party for Freedom (PVV).[3][4] They were later joined by Stephan Jansen and Johan Driessen, also former PVV members.[5]

On 21 June 2014, the group founded a new political party, VoorNederland (VNL) (in English For the Netherlands or Pro-Netherlands), a classical liberal and Liberal conservatism[1] and Eurosceptic political party.[2] On 13 November 2014, the party announced that it would cooperate with the UK Independence Party in the Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe.[6][7] In December 2014 and January 2015, VNL was joined by former PVV leader in the European Parliament Laurence Stassen[8] and, leading up to the 2015 provincial elections, two provincial PVV representatives from Groningen and Gelderland.[9]

VNL is a proponent of small government and supports the introduction of a low flat tax rate. Furthermore, it supports investment in the police and defence, seeks to limit the powers of the European Union to a free trade area, and wants a stricter immigration policy.[1]

On 27 January 2015 it was announced that the members of the party Article 50 had voted to merge it into VoorNederland.[10]

On 21 April 2015 it was announced that jurist and former lawyer Bram Moszkowicz becomes the party leader and lijsttrekker of VoorNederland at the next Dutch general election, planned for 2017.[11]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Beginselverklaring". Voor Nederland (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Een nieuwe partij op rechts: VNL". Voor Nederland (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  3. ↑ Ex-PVV'ers Bontes en Van Klaveren bundelen krachten in Tweede Kamer, parlement.com, 14 April 2014
  4. ↑ "Bontes en Van Klaveren vormen nieuwe Kamerfractie". Telegraaf.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  5. ↑ "Voormalige rechterhand Wilders bij fractie ex-PVV'ers" NU.nl, 1 May 2014
  6. ↑ "Bontes/Van Klaveren gaat samenwerken met UKIP". EenVandaag Politiek (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  7. ↑ "UKIP’s Euro-Party decision". Politics at Surrey. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  8. ↑ "Stassen terug in politiek". PowNed (in Dutch). 29 December 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  9. ↑ "PVV raakt opnieuw Statenlid kwijt". NOS (in Dutch). 7 January 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  10. ↑ Paternotte, Bas (27 January 2015). "Artikel 50 gaat op in VNL van Bontes/Van Klaveren". ThePostOnline (in Dutch). Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  11. ↑ "Moszkowicz voelt zich klaar voor de politiek" NOS.nl, 21 April 2015

External links