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The Supreme Court must be able to ban political parties if they aim or aim at undermining democracy. A Cabinet bill says so.
“The parties that win our trust with our vote must never endanger our democracy at the same time,” said Home Secretary Bruins Slot.
The text states that the court can ban a party “if the party, through its object or its activities, poses a real and serious threat to one or more fundamental principles of the democratic rule of law”.
It is already possible with current legislation to prohibit a party. This is possible if it acts contrary to public order. Recently D66 an offer expand the possibilities of prohibition through a simple modification of the civil code. The reason was the statements of the members of the Forum for Democracy.
But the government doesn’t consider this method legally prudent. The current political parties law must become a coherent law for all rules, believes Bruins Slot.
Donations
The law should also improve oversight of compliance with funding rules, such as donations and membership dues. The parties can only receive financial contributions or in-kind contributions from Dutch donors.
A reporting obligation will apply to political advertisements, which should lead to greater transparency. The notification must indicate, among other things, where the advertisement was placed, what the message is and how much was paid for the advertisement by whom.
The law must also disclose which Internet user data is used to specifically approach certain target groups micro-targeting called.
A new authority will be established to oversee compliance with the law, the Political Parties Law Authority. It must also control government subsidies to parties.
The law also regulates a widely held political desire to give greater support to local political parties and local chapters. With the introduction of the bill they will be entitled to a subsidy for three years.
Long preparation
The law is the result of years of preparation and Advice of the Veling and Remkes committees on the political system in the Netherlands.
In 2017, the Remkes Committee noted, among other things, that citizens feel that they are not being listened to enough by politicians. It has also been argued that the system is in need of modernisation. But the advice for a corrective referendum will not be adopted by the cabinet, as previously known. On this also proposals from the House of Representatives He did not make it.
The law also contains applicable rules, such as those concerning scientific offices and youth sections of parties.
Until March 21, 2023, citizens, political parties and other interested parties can respond to the bill through a so-called internet consultation.
