A couple of weeks ago, the Netherlands entered the international spotlight as the European Union collectively held its breath and watched the Dutch citizens line up at the polls for parliamentary elections. This election was seen by many as the culmination of the political uneasiness that had emerged in the country as some critical voices began to question the Dutch presence in the EU.
The Dutch election has shown that people genuinely still believe in Europe- David Casa
On one side of the political spectrum stood the candidate Mark Rutte of the centre-right liberal People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), who took a strong pro-European stance and advocated the continuation of eurozone bailouts.
On the far right stood Geert Wilders of the Party for Freedom (PVV), who argued that the Netherlands should leave the EU altogether. Wilders’ eurosceptic and anti-Islamic stance had made him a controversial figure in this past election.
Also vying to win the election were the Socialists, led by Emile Roemer, who were opposed to deeper European integration and further bailouts to eurozone members, as well as Diederik Samson of the Labour Party, who differed from Rutte on how to handle to growing Dutch deficit.
The Socialist, Labour and VVD parties were all expected to split the votes and up until the actual polling day some citizens wondered whether the Socialist Party might emerge as the winner of the 2012 election.
Although the polls before the election were volatile, and many believed that some of the more radical viewpoints might prevail, the voters ultimately chose a more moderate stance by electing Rutte.
The VVD obtained 41 seats in the Dutch Parliament and the Labour Party won 38. The PVV and the Socialists tied for third place, each taking 15 seats. This outcome marked a dramatic drop for the PVV, which previously held 24 seats.
It is because of the drastically differing views that this election was considered a crucial event for the future of the EU. The winner of this election would hold the majority of seats in the Dutch Parliament, ultimately influencing the future relationship between the Netherlands and the EU.
This is not the first time that the world has held its breath awaiting a verdict from the Netherlands that would impact upon the future of the EU. In 2005, three days after the French rejected the EU constitutional treaty, the Dutch followed suit and denied the EU the opportunity to further integrate.
The basis of the constitutional treaty argued for additional legislative power to be given to the European Parliament and both a President and a Foreign Minister to act as heads of the EU.
Both France and the Netherlands saw abnormally high turnouts, with voters vehemently opposing the changes that would transfer more power from individual member states into the hands of the EU.
There are certainly some parallels between the events in 2005 and 2012. At their core, they shed light on the way individual member states approach the EU. In 2005, the issue revolved around the question on how much power individual countries should cede to the EU. This time, attention focused largely on how much of its power the EU should use to help struggling member states.
Through the continuous rhetoric and debate, this election has shown that people genuinely still believe in Europe and its capacity to bring forward the solutions that are needed.
What this election did for the EU is reaffirm that even during times of economic and political uncertainty, working together can make us stronger. By electing Rutte, a firm supporter of integration, the Dutch reaffirmed their willingness to contribute towards and reap the benefits of the EU. The current climate within the EU may sometimes shake people’s confidence in this community of nations. For this very reason, the electoral outcome in the Netherlands has been vital in proving that, at the end of the day, citizens still place their trust in the European project.
This electoral outcome is a sign of confidence. It should be regarded as an opportunity that prompts European policymakers into further action to address the concerns of the European population.
The Dutch election can be seen as a reaffirmation of the EU and the values it stands for. We must therefore make concerted efforts to ensure that we leverage the collective strength of the EU to effectively meet the needs of the people it represents.
David Casa is a Nationalist MEP.