European Parliament Liberal Alliance Seeks Ban on Cooperation between VVD and PVV

strasbourg - A cordon sanitaire appears to be forming against the PVV from the liberals in the European Parliament. Read more on Telegraaf.nl.

The PVV is affiliated with the new Patriots for Europe group in the European Parliament. A leaked document, obtained by Politico and seen by De Telegraaf, reveals that Renew proposes a complete blockade against this group.

"It is an extremely right-wing grouping with which our group cannot and will not cooperate in our parliamentary activities. The cordon sanitaire should in all cases be applied to this grouping," the proposal reads. According to insiders, there is significant consensus among the liberals regarding the document.

Exceptions are likely to be made for the center-right ECR faction and the far-left group. Sources indicate that VVD, for example, still wants to collaborate with the center-right Flemish party N-VA, and D66 does not want any hindrances to collaborating with the Dutch animal party.

VVD delegation leader Malik Azmani stated during the elections that he does not wish to cooperate with the PVV, a sentiment that will likely be enforced in the future. He emphasizes that a decision on the cordon sanitaire has not yet been made, and that a discussion must first take place.

However, VVD seems to have no principled objections. "In Europe, we want to work with parties that stand for our free society, that want to keep us safe, and strengthen the EU," Azmani said. "The Patriots are a collection of parties that want to weaken Europe, including Viktor Orbán's party. Additionally, they do not stand for cooperation to keep us safe from Putin, or to support Ukraine."

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Collaboration between VVD and PVV in The Hague has long been sensitive within the European liberal family dominated by D66-like parties. Azmani previously had no chance of leading the European faction due to criticism of the formation of a right-wing government with PVV.

D66 delegation leader Gerben-Jan Gerbrand expressed a desire for collaboration from the political center, noting that PVV does not fit within this vision. He quoted Mark Rutte, stating, "We do not work with them." Wilders and Orbán reject the liberal core values of Europe and undermine the institutions of the democratic rule of law.

The six-member PVV delegation in the European Parliament is trying to actively participate in the political game, but they feel consistently ignored. PVV MEP Auke Zijlstra mentioned having productive discussions with a VVD colleague on the role of the European Central Bank. "But they do not adopt my proposals," he explained. "We are consistently excluded from being considered for other positions. We are not eligible for any role."

Zijlstra is frustrated, saying, "I am irritated about it. We are making a real effort to deliver a good story. Just be honest about your position or come up with a substantive argument to counter it. This is not how I can work."

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He was also a PVV MEP between 2011 and 2019. The situation has slightly improved now: "Back then, it was even worse. Sometimes the chairman would just turn off your microphone."

SGP MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen is part of the right-wing conservative faction. Like the Patriots, they were among the winners of the European elections. The liberals find only certain parts of this group acceptable. He mentioned little evidence of a blockade, saying, "I, together with colleagues from Renew, founded the freedom of religion intergroup. But the fact that Renew now wants to place a conservative faction under the cordon sanitaire worries me."

The European greens and social democrats have long imposed a cordon sanitaire against anything to the right of the Christian Democrats. According to Ruissen, the European liberals are becoming increasingly extreme, saying, "If you no longer want to work with large parts of the parliament, how democratic are you really?"