Nieuws van de afdeling

21 July 2016

Sadet Karabulut answers questions on the attempted coup in Turkey and what it means for the Netherlands

Foto: SP

Last Friday the Turkish army attempted to effect a coup d’état to bring about the fall of the government. The coup failed, but the consequences for the country are huge. President Erdogan reacted with mass arrests, and with the suspension and sacking of tens of thousands of judges, civil servants, academics and others. Opposition news sites have been blocked and journalists’ press cards removed. Moreover, military personnel who carried out the coup have been severely maltreated. There has even been talk of reintroducing the death penalty. Meanwhile, tensions in the Netherlands are rising. Five questions to SP Member of Parliament Sadet Karabulut on the events of the past week.

15 July 2016

Harry van Bommel: The war which should never have begun and the perpetrators who walk free

Published last week, the Chilcot report on British involvement in the war on Iraq has demonstrated once more the immense fiasco that this rash military foreign adventure became. It speaks of moral bankruptcy that those who played the leading roles have still not, thirteen years on from the criminal decision to invade Iraq, been forced to face up to their responsibility.

15 July 2016

Roemer: An attack on freedom

Foto: SP

SP leader Emile Roemer reacted with shock to the attack in Nice. “On the day that France celebrated the country's freedom, freedom was attacked,” he said. “A terrible event for all the victims, their families and the entire French people. This is an attack on everyone who wants to live in freedom. We share the sorrow of the French people, but together we must also do all we can to combat this terrorist violence.”

11 July 2016

Malmström puts profit before climate in TTIP

Foto: Sudika

The SP is furious about freshly leaked TTIP-documents which show that the European Commission is proposing to allow shale gas on to the European market while undermining incentives to promote green energy. The documents represent the European starting position for the new round of negotiations on the controversial trade treaty taking place this week.

6 July 2016

Harry van Bommel: NATO summit puts Russia under further pressure

On 8th and 9th July Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Foreign Minister Bert Koenders and Defence Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert will attend the NATO summit in Warsaw. Every indication is that the military alliance will seize the opportunity of the summit to escalate still further the already mounting tensions with Russia. It is of huge importance that this is prevented.

6 July 2016

SP Success: Netherlands will oppose establishment of EU Office for Public Prosecutions

Foto: SP

A parliamentary majority today decided that the Netherlands should oppose setting up a European Office for Public Prosecutions. This is a victory for SP Member of Parliament Michiel van Nispen, who has opposed the move from the start. “Fraud involving European money must be combatted effectively, but an EU Public Prosecutor is undesirable. Such an office is unnecessary for mutual cooperation and thus redundant. This can be achieved by making sound agreements. An EU Public Prosecutor would, moreover, lead to further transfers of powers. I’d rather cooperate to fight crime and retain the power at home to determine our priorities in the pursuit and prosecution of criminals.”

International