In the SGP’s basic program, it still states that women may not hold political or administrative positions. A motion to amend the vision document received too little support at the party conference on Saturday, as expected.
The Vlissingen department had submitted the motion. They want to remove the ban from the text because it does not align with reality. Since the Supreme Court’s ruling in 2010, the party may no longer refuse women.
The motion was overwhelmingly rejected. 53 members voted in favor and 299 against. This was also expected because the executive board had advised against the proposal. Members generally follow the course due to the party’s authoritative character.
The executive board advised against voting in favor because they wanted to maintain unity within the party. The board acknowledged that a “tension” exists between the basic program and legal reality.
Lilian Janse, the party’s first female municipal council member since 2014, has received a lot of media attention in recent weeks.
In an interview, she criticized the executive board’s view. According to Janse, this leaves no room for discussion in the party.