Cees van de Sanden has left the VVD (People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy) faction in the Senate due to dissatisfaction with the party’s direction. He is taking his seat with him and will continue as an independent senator.
“In recent years, the VVD has drifted further and further away from its own liberal core values,” Van de Sanden said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Decisions such as support for asylum emergency measures, the Uganda plan, the administrative ban without judicial intervention on motorcycle gangs and the Antifa motion are at odds with the principles of freedom, equality and the rule of law. I can no longer reconcile this course with my own liberal compass.”
Van de Sanden’s departure is striking because of the upcoming parliamentary elections and the increasing pressure on party leader Dilan Yesilgöz. The VVD is doing poorly in the polls and Yesilgöz is accused of populism.
Van de Sanden is not only disappointed with the populist statements of VVD members or the agreement to certain motions. He also disagrees with the fact that the VVD remains silent when coalition partner BBB (Farmer–Citizen Movement) calls the Council of State a D66 (Democrats 66) stronghold, for example.
“I would like to see the VVD stand up at that moment and say: wait a minute, we see that differently. By remaining silent, you are also undermining the rule of law,” he told de Volkskrant .
Van de Sanden has been in the Senate for the VVD for more than two years. The party now has nine seats left in the Senate.