The Netherlands has a reputation in Europe as a liberal state - yet this week’s election will be dominated by Mark Rutte s People s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and Geert Wilders Party for Freedom (PVV), on the centre-right and far-right respectively.
Sylvana Simons, a former TV presenter and leader of the left-wing BIJ1, is trying to change that, standing for parliament on a platform of equality, under which schools and the health and tax systems make no distinction based on gender, race, sexuality or religion. I m proud of our party s election programme,” Simons told Euronews.
“It is written for the people we want to support. Youth care professionals, sex workers, education professionals, young people, black people, parents, trans and non-binary people, people with disabilities, and Muslim women.