First televised election debate to take place on Sunday evening

The six party leaders of the largest political parties will face each other in the first major televised election debate in Amsterdam's Felix Meritis building on Sunday evening. The live debate that will cover topics such as climate change, the economy, diversity, and the coronavirus, will be broadcasted on RTL from 9.15 p.m.

Conservative party's Mark Rutte (VVD), Geert Wilders of the Freedom Party (PVV), Wopke Hoekstra of the Christian Democrats (CDA), Sigrid Kaag of the Liberal Party (D66), Lilian Marijnissen of the Socialist Party (SP), and Jesse Klaver of the Green Party (GroenLinks) will participate in the debate. They were chosen on the basis of their current number of seats in the House of Representatives and the forecast of the Polling Guide.

It will be the first election debate on TV for Hoekstra and Kaag. Another first is that two sign language interpreters will translate the election debate.

The election campaign is starting to gain momentum. On Friday, thirteen party leaders at the NPO were already debating on Radio 1. The topics covered included health care, education, security, integration, and finances.

In that radio debate, among others, VVD leader Rutte and CDA leader Hoekstra clashed about the election promises and budget cuts. D66er Kaag and Wilders of the PVV got to grips with the climate.