On 20 January, ALDE Party member D66 from the Netherlands launched its campaign for the European elections in June at a Rally for Europe.
The day event in Brussels saw a strong liberal presence from the ALDE Party Bureau and member parties and the launch of D66’s electoral manifesto, presented by ALDE Party Vice-President Annelou van Egmond.
As part of the programme, the Alliance Of Her hosted a panel discussion focusing on how liberal parties can engage more women in politics, with panelists including ALDE Party Vice-President Kira Rudik MP (Golos, UA).
Other liberal leaders including ALDE Party Vice-President Sal Brinton (Lib Dems, UK) and Secretary General Didrik de Schaetzen engaged in different thematic sessions throughout the day, ranging from the fight against extremism and populism to the global race to climate neutrality.
As announced by the party in September last year, former MEP Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy will be the party’s lead candidate and top the list counting eight women and two men within the top ten.
Raquel Garcia Hermida-Van Der Walle, already a candidate for the European elections in 2019, and Brigitte van den Berg, a Councillor in the Dutch town of Beverwijk, follow Gerbrandy as second and third candidates.
D66 leader Rob Jetten, the Netherlands’ current Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Climate and Energy Policy, set out the party’s future ambitions in a keynote speech.
“The European project was born out of the courage of people. We should prove that we hear every European, respond to the concerns of our citizens. The far-right nationalist elite is not in tune with what people want and need. Liberal democrats must stand up and give the people a voice,” said Jetten.
“Europe gives us power and empowerment, it allows us to fight fear and gives us hope. And it is the duty of all of us to make that hope heard. In these elections we are fighting to defend freedom from tyranny, democracy from autocracy, stability against chaos.”
The European elections in the Netherlands are scheduled to take place on 6 June, as citizens will elect 29 Members of the European Parliament.