Nieuws van de afdeling

1 July 2009

Government must put an end to Sharia practices

SP Member of Parliament Sadet Karabulut describes as 'unacceptable' the fact that a number of mosques in the Netherlands continue to act in accordance with Sharia principles of justice. The practice was revealed on Tuesday in an edition of popular TV documentary series Netwerk. “Sharia law is in conflict with our system of justice under which women and men are treated equally and discrimination is forbidden," says Karabulut. "The government must act as quickly as possible to put an end to Sharia practices in the Netherlands."

30 June 2009

Parliament adopts SP proposal for ban on mink farms

The main legislative chamber of the Dutch National Parliament voted on Tuesday to back a joint SP-Labour Party proposal that raising mink for their fur be banned in the Netherlands from 2018. The new law gives mink farmers almost ten years to run down their businesses. The Dutch political system allows political groups to bring forward legislative proposals which must then, of course, be carried by a majority. This is the first time ever that such an initiative from the SP has been successful.

29 June 2009

SP Senator Eric Smaling observer at Albanian elections

This week I fulfilled a teenage dream - to visit Albania and at the same time to do so as an election observer. Back then I was fascinated by the country's isolation. The Communist autocrat Enver Hoxha succeeded in draping this small country in its own iron curtain for forty years after the Second World War. During the de-Stalinization of the Soviet Union under Khrushchev he even changed course, moving towards Mao. Looking at the map I don't really understand how that was possible, with holiday destinations like Yugoslavia, Greece and Italy a short walk or swim away.

25 June 2009

Lempens: 'Iranian demonstrators are the real heroes'

“While we're here talking about democracy and human rights, hundreds of thousands of Iranian citizens are risking their lives struggling for these rights," said SP Member of Parliament Paul Lempens during today's emergency debate in the Council of Europe on the dramatic developments in Iran. “The demonstrators are the real heroes," he added. "They deserve our support in their fight against the mullahs.”

24 June 2009

Council of Europe welcomes World Bank change of course

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has commended the World Bank for a small but significant step in the direction of a fairer and more sustainable globalisation. An amendment to this effect proposed by SP Senator Tuur Elzinga to a resolution on the ‘challenges of the financial crisis for the global economic institutions’ was carried almost unanimously.

24 June 2009

Time for Change? Will we see nuclear disarmament?

Will we see a policy of nuclear disarmament adopted under President Obama? His speech in Prague at the beginning of April was interpreted by many in this way and it is certainly important that the world's most powerful politician has expressed support for nuclear disarmament. There is, however, a problematic relationship between ultimate goals and practical policy steps. Not the least of the problems involved is that of the 'After You' principle: everyone is for nuclear disarmament, provided someone else takes the first steps.

International