Consternation at “Discriminatory” Motion From PVV
Expatica (Haarlem, Netherlands), November 16, 2007
The factions in Parliament all attacked a “discriminatory” proposal put forward by Freedom Party PVV on Thursday evening.
During an important debate on Thursday Geert Wilders’ party argued for an immigration stop for Muslims. The other parties were outraged and refused to vote on the motion.
SP MP Jan de Wit said the suggestion was discriminatory and kicked off a parliament-wide rejection. The Labour PvdA said the proposal was scandalous and green-left GroenLinks said this kind of behaviour has no place in a constitutional state.
The PVV said in the motion that the preservation of Dutch identity and core values was under great pressure “because of continuing immigration by Muslims who often prove not to share our values.”
MP Sietse Fritsma felt wronged by the decision not to vote on his motion. “This behaviour undermines the interests of Dutch society,” he said.
The PVV member accused his fellow MPs of making it impossible for him to argue his standpoint.
An interruption debate was invoked after the PVV submitted its request. Christian democrat CDA MP Sybrand van Haersma Buma asked Fritsma whether the motion implied that the PVV wanted to introduce some sort of religious test to be able to refuse Muslim migrants.
When Fritsma denied this and said that the PVV wanted to prevent immigration from Muslim countries, he was asked what that would mean for a Christian from Turkey who wanted to come to the Netherlands. Fritsma answered that such a person would be welcome.
