Stop foreign money from interfering in Dutch politics: MP

Ban foreign funding for political parties in the Netherlands, DENK parliamentarian Selcuk Ozturk proposed on Wednesday. According to him, this is the most effective way to make sure Dutch politicians aren't influenced by foreign sources, Nederlands Dagblad reports

"Of the PVV is known that there are lines with financiers from the U.S." Ozturk said in a statement. "In that manner the PVV is possibly the long arm of foreign interest groups. Also with the Ukraine referendum there was possible foreign interference."

The term "long arm" is an often heard phrase in The Hague over the past months. Its use became popular after an attempted coup in Turkey in September. It is usually used to describe the Turkish government's influence outside Turkey's borders. For example, in a debate about the failed coup in September, VVD leader Halbe Zijlstra accused other DENK parliamentarian Tunahan Kuzu of acting as "the long arm" of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.