CDA, VVD and PVV worst parties for emigrants
This year, around 22.000 expats have registered or pre-registered for the European Parliament elections. They help determine which politicians will represent our country in Europe over the next five years.
But what do the political parties actually have to offer current and future Dutch emigrants? The magazine for emigrants, DepartureNL, toured the political fields and made a top 3 of the best and worst political parties for Dutch people abroad.
Top 3 – Best parties for Dutch people abroad
- D66
- Green Left
- SP
Top 3 – Worst parties for Dutch people abroad
- PVV
- CDA
- VVD
The ranking is based on the results of the StemWijzer Europa (see www.stemwijzer.nl), the political programs and an extensive report in VertrekNL magazine by journalist Rob Hoekstra (see VertrekNL magazine no. 16).
This shows that D66 is currently most asserting itself as the representative of the interests of Dutch people abroad. This is also the first political party in the Netherlands to announce that it will set up a separate portfolio for Dutch people abroad in addition to a separate Region Abroad.
The government parties score remarkably poorly, partly due to cuts in Dutch language education abroad and the closing of embassies and consulates. Wanting to abolish the double passport also means that parties such as PVV and CDA are among the top 3 worst parties for Dutch people abroad.
Source: Departure NL
Recently I asked a reader question to readers of Thailandblog about the experience of the European Elections. I noticed that many readers responded, and that many said they would vote. https://www.thailandblog.nl/lezersvraag/europese-verkiezingen/
It is therefore good to hear that some NL political parties are still interested in us despite our departure from NL. After some searching, see below a link to some more information with an email address of a D66 contact person for Dutch people abroad: http://eelcokeij.com/2014/02/17/primeur-fractieportefeuille-voor-nlers-in-buitenland/
What is good or bad for expats is of course subject to debate.
So it is certain to me that closing embassies and consulates IS IN ITSELF a bad idea. But that's not going to happen either. If the Dutch embassy were to merge into an EU embassy (there is already an EU ambassador in Bangkok; what does it actually do?) and parts of the services are improved (e.g. through digitization and use of modern media such as the internet, scanning , skype) I am the first to say that this will be an improvement. Would save quite a bit of money too. We should be FOR that, not AGAINST.
I think it's crazy that a Thai student of mine (with Dutch family) who flies to Paris (for a short holiday) and then wants to travel to the Netherlands by train has to go to the French embassy and not get her Schengen visa at the Dutch embassy just because she flies to Paris…..That is not the EU we are waiting for….
Fortunately, the party of the traitor of the Netherlands, Pechtold's D66, is not the only party that actually wants to commit itself and is committed to expats.
Because that terrible party that, in my view, wants to give away the sovereignty of the Dutch people to a completely undemocratic vehicle like the EU, is a horror to me.
Democracy in the Netherlands, and beyond, for that matter, has degenerated into voting once every 4 years for a party that promises you all sorts of things and NEVER keeps or even tries to keep its promises, and whose elected representatives fulfill their mandate on behalf of the voters to do or try to do something destroys the party political and/or coalition of the day.
And therefore have a real fear of plebiscites.
Have I cast my vote?
Yes, of course.
On who?
ahhhhhh
(not who you might think of)
@Soi: Eelco is indeed fully committed to expats and emigrants. You would also expect that from a party like the VVD (not my party, by the way) from the point of view of both liberalism and the labor market (read: employers).
I live in the Netherlands myself and have not yet been able to make a choice, how people think about international affairs at both the EU and global level, including migration, travel, paperwork, social security, etc., I certainly take into account in my decision. In that respect I quickly end up with the top 3 mentioned here, according to my experience from the past (previous TK and EU elections). Tonight I really need to tie the knot, although I don't expect many miracles from Brussels. It can (should) be a lot more democratic with more participation, less red tape (Strasbourg…) etc.
@Chris: There are also opportunities there: more cooperation, but people are terrified of losing their say, they say (even though it is the same gentlemen and ladies in the cabinets who approve that transfer of power and later blame Brussels when they complain "yes that simply has to come from Brussels”.
The Schengen visa rules are scheduled for further relaxation, although as far as I can tell, the requirement that you must apply for the visa in the country where your main purpose of residence is remains.
A student or other traveler whose main destination is France will therefore have to go to the French embassy. If the main destination is the Netherlands, but if she travels via France, she must be at the Dutch embassy. A joint EU embassy could solve that… or cancel the visa requirement altogether, but I don't see either happening in the short term. There is more outsourcing of tasks to VFS/TLS in order to pass on costs to the requester instead of actual savings (more service for less money). The fact that the choice for VFS/TLS is completely voluntary is often not even (clearly) stated… It's a pity. As far as I'm concerned: more cooperation within the EU/Schengen.
An alternative for those who don't feel like it is to leave completely and go back to working old-fashioned behind the dikes with trade agreements. Doesn't seem socially and economically the right choice to me in this global and small world, but that's my personal opinion.
Several embassies in 1 building can already save costs, certainly not eliminate them.
Concerning the double passport, I certainly agree to abolish this.
Whether you live in the Netherlands or in another country, you are thought and decided for you, look at your AOW, you don't have to do anything and hoppa 300 euros off.
How simple life is when you don't have to check the facts……….. These elections have nothing to do with whether or not to leave the EU, for the simple reason that the European Parliament is not about that at all!