Pouw-Verweij confirms a message from De Telegraaf that there is a letter. According to the MP, these are ‘constructive proposals for democratization and professionalization of the party’, she says. “There is no question of an urgent letter or a conflict.”
The letter, which is also in the hands of RTL Nieuws, does not want to be shared by the party board itself. This will later go to the members, says party chairman Adrien de Boer.
Concentrated power
The letter accompanies a number of proposals that were actually made at the members’ meeting last year. According to the signatories, the board has done too little with this. However, the letter contains harsh criticism of the JA21 summit. The power of the party would be concentrated in a few individuals. “That makes the party unstable and leads to even more tight control instead of giving confidence.”
In the letter, the initiators advocate, among other things, a manifesto of principles and a party council that determines the party’s ‘frameworks’ ‘on behalf of voters and members’.
“We have received a letter with strong constructive criticism. That is always welcome at JA21 and belongs to our young party that is still under construction,” says chairman of the board De Boer. “The board can go along with it and we also see room for improvement.”
Controlled growth
According to De Boer, members want to expand faster, but the board emphasizes the importance of controlled growth. “Of course it’s fine to discuss this with each other.”
According to the party chairman, many of the proposals are in line with the direction the party has taken since the last general assembly. “So we certainly see starting points to get started with it and are confident that we will work it out with the members.”
The letter was signed by two of the three members of the House of Representatives. Party chairman and party leader Joost Eerdmans is the only party member who has not signed the letter, as has co-party founder Annabel Nanninga, party chairman in the Senate.
Other members of the Senate of JA21 have done so. Provincial States members and MEPs of JA21 are also under the letter.
