Nieuws van de afdeling

19 December 2017

Identity politics: a fatal course

As a result of the world-wide process of neoliberal globalisation and the disappearance of the East Bloc as a rival superpower, advocates of the free market have the upper hand almost everywhere. Nationalist and right-populist parties with their 'own people first' message are generally enjoying more success in spreading their political message than are socialist parties and movements.

13 December 2017

Lilian Marijnissen succeeds Emile Roemer as leader of SP parliamentary group

Foto: SP

The SP's parliamentary group this morning elected Lilian Marijnissen as its new leader. She will succeed Emile Roemer who yesterday announced his decision to hand on the leadership. Marijnissen was one of two candidates to replace him.

12 December 2017

Van Apeldoorn: Government should combat child poverty, not serve the interests of multinationals

It's beyond belief that the new government is doing nothing for the one in nine children growing up in poverty in the Netherlands, yet has chosen to make a gift of €1.4 billion to foreign investors and multinationals. This was the theme running through SP Senator Bastiaan van Apeldoorn's speech in the Senate during today's debate on the budget for the coming period.

Van Apeldoorn wants to know how the government will be implementing the motion proposed by his SP colleague Tiny Kox and approved last week by a majority in the Senate. The motion calls for the government to come up with a concrete plan to address child poverty in the Netherlands. Below are a résumé of and selections from Senator van Apeldoorn's contribution to the debate.

11 December 2017

Prevent the rise of Al Qa'ida 3.0

Last week in the Parliament in The Hague there was a hearing on the large number of civilian casualties of the struggle against ISIS. Many of those contributing pointed to the fact that after more than three years of war the terrorist group's breeding ground in Iraq has not disappeared. On the contrary, they argued, Al Qa'ida 3.0 is in the making. It's of the utmost importance that the Dutch government listen closely to this disturbing but accurate warning.

8 December 2017

SP opposes EU-Japan agreement

The SP is alarmed by the trade treaty which the EU concluded with the Japan today. Japan is undermining international agreements on both illegal forest clearance and whaling. In addition, there are concerns about data protection for the public. To cap it all, national parliaments will have no right or opportunity to express their views on the treaty.

6 December 2017

Mercosur treaty negotiations must stop

Foto: SP

The accuracy of the SP's concerns regarding food quality, deforestation and damage to the climate as a result of the Mercosur treaty has been confirmed in an analysis by Greenpeace, and the party is urging an end to be put to the negotiations. Greenpeace has leaked six of the fifteen chapters of the proposed treaty between the European Union and the Mercosur countries – Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.

International