Numerous mayors, including Sharon Dijksma, Hubert Bruls, Ahmed Marcouch, Jan van Zanen and Paul Depla, have stood up for colleague Femke Halsema after a post by Geert Wilders. They call on the cabinet to distance itself from Wilders’ statement, who said on Monday on X with a photo of a pro-Palestinian demonstration that ‘that scum’ must be left the country. “And Halsema can come along,” said the PVV leader.
Undermining for authority
“I find it completely irresponsible that Geert Wilders makes this statement at the expense of our colleague Femke Halsema and at the expense of us as office holders who do their work in good faith within the boundaries of the rule of law,” Dijksma writes. “This is undermining the authority of mayors and is out of all proportion.”
It was exactly one year ago on Monday that Hamas carried out a major terrorist attack on Israel. This was commemorated on Dam Square in Amsterdam. A pro-Palestinian counter-demonstration was also allowed in the area under certain conditions.
Constitutional freedoms
According to Dijksma, all parties in parliament must ‘stand firmly for the rule of law and our constitutional freedoms’. She says that mayors seek balance in this every day and that the law is leading in facilitating demonstrations. ‘Even if this leads to a lot of emotions.’
Intimidating
Nijmegen Mayor Hubert Bruls calls Geert Wilders’ words about Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema ‘completely inappropriate and intimidating’. He expects ‘a strong response’ from Minister of the Interior Judith Uitermark and also from MPs.
Jan van Zanen, mayor of The Hague, asks national politicians for support for mayors, following statements by Wilders. The Dutch Society of Mayors also called for support for mayors. “In these difficult times, we need support from national politics to keep our municipalities peaceful and safe together,” Van Zanen says about Wilders’ message. ‘My appeal is: let us not import conflicts but export peace. I call on those who serve the public interest at a national level to support us in this.’
Very irresponsible
Ahmed Marcouch, mayor of Arnhem, says: ‘Putting people away and making institutions suspicious and reviling undermines democracy.’ He wants other MPs to distance themselves from the statements. ‘Polarization of the content is part of a democracy,’ says Marcouch. Fighting ideas with ideas. But dismissing people as scum and calling for a mayor to be deported is very irresponsible.’ Politicians must ‘stand for fundamental rights and democratic institutions’. Moreover, according to Marcouch, statements such as those of Wilders ‘have something to do with people. It leads to radicalization in society.’
Marcouch was previously chairman of the advisory committee on Strengthening the Resilience of the Democratic Legal Order, which was established at the request of the House of Representatives. “So the House itself has asked: how can we keep the democratic institutions afloat?” Marcouch explains. He wants other fellow MPs of Wilders to take a stand and ‘distance themselves from these types of statements’.
Unworthy
“Wilders is polarizing on the back of a mayor who, in good conscience, tries to keep society together,” says Mayor Paul Depla of Breda. Depla, also chairman of the G40 city network, calls Wilders’ words ‘unworthy of a political leader’. With his words, the leader of the largest coalition party ‘unfairly places Halsema in a political camp’, says the mayor of Breda. ‘Wilders seems to disqualify Mayor Halsema’s commitment and intention solely for his own political gain. While Halsema is above the parties, Wilders is politicizing the efforts of the mayor because he does not do what he wants.’
Endangered
The King’s Commissioner in North Holland, Arthur van Dijk, is ‘tremendously shocked’ by Wilders’ statement. The VVD politician finds the post ‘extremely worrying and harmful’. Van Dijk is right behind Halsema. He also asks the cabinet to distance itself from Wilders’ statement. “It sows division, it undermines the basis of fundamental democratic values and rights and also the authority of the mayor,” the commissioner said. Van Dijk points out that the office of mayor is already under enormous pressure. ’73 percent of mayors are even threatened to a greater or lesser extent.’
As the figurehead of the municipality, the mayor is the first to receive criticism for difficult decisions, says Van Dijk. ‘You can say: a mayor has to be able to handle that. They choose office. They are committed and passionate public servants. And that is precisely why they must be able to do this in a good and dignified manner.’
Honor and conscience
“Mayor Halsema stands for social cohesion and the right to demonstrate,” Van Dijk continues. “She has exercised her right to demonstrate in good faith and is now being portrayed as the enemy and personally attacked. I ask the cabinet to renounce the ruling.”
Unchoose
Prime Minister Dick Schoof told RTL Nieuws and NOS that the cabinet supports Halsema, but did not want to elaborate on Wilders’ statement. However, he said he thought it was ‘indecent’ to demonstrate for the Palestinian cause on October 7, adding that demonstrating is a fundamental right. Minister Judith Uitermark (Home Affairs) understands very well that the message on ‘This country needs tolerance and not polarization. We must use words responsibly. That is our joint task.’
Set a good example
According to Uitermark, politicians must set a good example. ‘High integrity standards among politicians are very important for our democracy to maintain trust. And our mayors have to make very difficult decisions, especially when it comes to demonstrating under difficult circumstances. They are accountable for that decision in the municipal council.’ According to her, it is important for the cabinet ‘that we contribute together to a constructive administrative climate in which we keep each other whole’. ‘I stand for our mayors and that they should be able to do their work safely and in peace. And that we protect the faces of the rule of law every day and keep them resilient.’
Rules of the land
Halsema said on Monday in response to the pro-Palestinian demonstration that counter-demonstrations fall under the fundamental right to demonstrate within sight and hearing distance of the purpose of their demonstration. ‘Whether you agree with that or not: these are the rules that we have agreed upon in this country. As long as it’s done peacefully.’ That ultimately did not happen, so the riot police intervened, she said.
