Nieuws van de afdeling

1 August 2018

SP launches alternative action plan to put a stop to fires in intensive pigsties and cattle stalls

Every year hundreds of thousands of animals die in the Netherlands in the most horrible manner in fires in barns, sheds and pigsties on intensive farms. Yesterday, 2,500 pigs were burnt to death in a fire near Didam, Gelderland, in the country's east. Last year set a sad record when 20,000 pigs were killed in a fire in another Gelderland village, Erichem. The farmer had been known for several years as one who ignored the regulations. The government has now produced an action plan to stop such fires, but according to the SP it leaves far too many options, with the authorities waiting for the sector itself to solve the problems, and has shied away from taking serious measures, such as stronger norms for existing stalls and sties, while the intensive farming industry continues to cram in enormous numbers of animals, often with the most basic fire safety measures.

26 July 2018

Trump bluffs, Juncker capitulates

Foto: SP

The SP is opposed to the deal which European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has signed with Donald Trump. Explaining the party's hostility to the deal, SP Euro-MP Anne-Marie Mineur said: “It's a slap in the face for the widespread resistance to the TTIP, the free trade treaty between the EU and the US, negotiations over which were halted in 2016. Instead of making agreements on fair and sustainable trade, Juncker has committed the EU to importing more liquid gas and more soya, as well as running down all barriers to trade and product standards, These are of course designed to protect the consumer and the environment. Juncker and Trump also want to intensify trade in services, chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

26 July 2018

Time to take action against Israel's apartheid 'nation state' law

Foto: doodle dubz

What was in reality already the case has now been formally incorporated into Israeli law. In the country once counted a democratic good example in an authoritarian region, apartheid has now been confirmed as a legal principle. The law from now on will state that only Jewish inhabitants of Israel have the right of self-determination. The 1.8 million Arabs who live there are now also officially second class citizens, their language no longer recognised as one of the official languages and their fate made dependent on the wishes of the Jewish population.

11 July 2018

Climate Accord must not let major polluters off the hook

From the newly published Netherlands Climate Accord it's clear that just what the SP feared has indeed come to pass. It isn't the major polluters, but households, which are going to pay the price of tackling the climate problem. “This isn't climate justice,” says SP Member of Parliament Sandra Beckerman. “Once again the biggest polluters aren't the target. Industry is knowingly damaging the climate, but the multinationals only want renewables if they come attached to a big sackful of money. Massive polluters such as Shell have raked in billions in profits on gas and oil, but refuse to make a contribution to repairing the climate.”

10 July 2018

Foul smell of corruption in Brussels

Foto: Tom Parnell

A new report from Transparency International has revealed that a third of Members of the European Parliament are doing paid jobs in addition to their parliamentary duties. Commenting on the findings, SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong said, “MEPs earn so much that with your salary and expenses payments you can be a millionaire after just two five-year terms. That's already a ridiculous situation, but for many it's apparently insufficient. Their greed leads to them taking all sorts of highly paid jobs on the side. If you consider that working as a MEP demands a full-time commitment, it's clear that money is more important to them than representing their voters. Also, this is yet another thing which carries a great risk of bringing about conflicts of interest. That's why for years I've been advocating a total ban on paid work outside the Parliament for all MEPs.”

5 July 2018

European Parliament vote brings no progress for truck drivers

All of the reports on the EU Mobility Package were today rejected and negotiations in the Transport Committee will have to begin anew. Responding to the vote, SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong said: “Of course it's a good thing that neoliberal proposals have been rejected, but exploitation of drivers continues and the Parliament has not succeeded in finding a good answer to this situation. It turns out that there's just as little chance of gathering a majority willing to give priority to a real social policy. As ever, the market still takes precedence over people. That's why I persist in advocating a Social and Green Protocol which prioritises people and the environment, putting their interests above those of corporate capital and the market.”

International