VoorNederland explained

Country:Netherlands
VoorNederland
For Netherlands
Native Name:Group Bontes/Van Klaveren
Colorcode:
  1. 0079be
Abbreviation:VNL
Leader:Jan Roos[1]
Founder:Louis Bontes
Joram van Klaveren
Johan Driessen
Chairman:Laurence Stassen
Leader1 Name:Joram van Klaveren
Leader1 Title:Secretary
Leader2 Name:Johan Driessen
Leader2 Title:Treasurer
Leader4 Title:Leader in the Senate
Leader5 Name:Louis Bontes
Leader5 Title:Leader in the House of Representatives
Foundation:28 May 2014
Dissolution:20 March 2017
Split:Party for Freedom
Position:Right-wing
Wing1 Title:Thinktank
European:Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe
Colours:Blue
Headquarters:Het Plein 2
The Hague

VoorNederland (translated: For Netherlands or Pro-Netherlands) was a Dutch political party. It was previously active in the House of Representatives of the Netherlands as the Group Bontes/Van Klaveren (Dutch; Flemish: Groep Bontes/Van Klaveren), a parliamentary group founded in April 2014. The parliamentary group was succeeded by a political party in May 2014. After failing to garner win a single seat in the 2017 general election, the party disbanded.

History

The Group Bontes/Van Klaveren (Dutch; Flemish: Groep Bontes/Van Klaveren) was a parliamentary group formed on 15 April 2014 by Louis Bontes and Joram van Klaveren, two Members of the House that had left the Party for Freedom (PVV), the party they were originally elected to represent.[2] [3]

On 28 May 2014, group members officially founded a new political party, VoorNederland, a classical liberal and liberal conservative and eurosceptic political party.

On 13 November 2014, the party announced that it would cooperate with the UK Independence Party in the Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe.[4] [5]

In December 2014 and January 2015, VNL was joined by former PVV leader in the European Parliament Laurence Stassen[6] and, leading up to the 2015 provincial elections, two provincial PVV representatives from Groningen and Gelderland.[7] On 27 January 2015 it was announced that the members of the party Article 50 had voted to merge it into VoorNederland.[8]

On 21 April 2015, it was announced that jurist and former lawyer Bram Moszkowicz would become the party leader and lijsttrekker of VoorNederland at the next Dutch general election, planned for 2017,[9] but after nine months he was rejected by the party.[10]

In the 2017 Dutch general election, VoorNederland failed to win a single seat, securing just 0.4% of the vote.[11]

Because of its election failure and lack of money, the party was dissolved by its members congress on 18 June 2017.[12]

Programme

VNL was a proponent of small government and proposed the introduction of a low flat tax rate. Furthermore, it supported investment in the police and defence, and it wanted to limit the powers of the European Union to a free trade area, and a stricter immigration policy, the party had ties with UKIP.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Reporter Jan Roos to lead political party VNL.
  2. http://www.parlement.com/id/vjixikpr6dzh/nieuws/ex_pvv_ers_bontes_en_van_klaveren Ex-PVV'ers Bontes en Van Klaveren bundelen krachten in Tweede Kamer
  3. Web site: Bontes en Van Klaveren vormen nieuwe Kamerfractie . Telegraaf.nl . 14 April 2014 . nl . 26 August 2014.
  4. Web site: Bontes/Van Klaveren gaat samenwerken met UKIP . EenVandaag Politiek . nl . 13 November 2014.
  5. Web site: UKIP's Euro-Party decision . Politics at Surrey . 16 December 2014 . 7 January 2015.
  6. Web site: Stassen terug in politiek . PowNed . nl . 29 December 2014 . 7 January 2015.
  7. Web site: PVV raakt opnieuw Statenlid kwijt . NOS . nl . 7 January 2015 . 7 January 2015.
  8. Web site: Bas . Paternotte . 27 January 2015 . Artikel 50 gaat op in VNL van Bontes/Van Klaveren . ThePostOnline . nl . 28 January 2015.
  9. http://nos.nl/artikel/2031532-moszkowicz-voelt-zich-klaar-voor-de-politiek.html "Moszkowicz voelt zich klaar voor de politiek"
  10. http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/24998632/__VNL_zet_Moszkowicz_uit_partij__.html "VNL zet Moszkowicz uit partij"
  11. Web site: Kerngegevens Tweede Kamerverkiezing 2017 . Kiesraad . 21 March 2017 . nl . 21 March 2017.
  12. Web site: Geen geld, geen zetel, geen leider: VNL heft zich op. 17 June 2017 .