Little enthusiasm for EU elections in the Netherlands, where 20 parties will campaign

There is still too little enthusiasm among Netherlands residents for the European Parliament election next month, outgoing Minister Hugo de Jonge of Home Affairs said. Twenty Dutch parties will participate with 497 candidates, the Electoral Council announced on Wednesday after the last lawsuit over candidate lists was handled.

De Jonge called it “quite strange” that Netherlands residents show little interest in the European elections. He called European cooperation essential for combatting some of the biggest problems facing the Netherlands, like climate change and migration problems. “We need Europe more than ever at this time,” De Jonge said, according to ANP. “Fortunately, we still have a month for people to really start to enthuse about, read up on the European elections.”

Twenty participating parties are a record for the Netherlands in the European Parliament elections. Five years ago, 16 parties participated with 308 candidates. This year, 50Plus has the most candidates at 50, followed by Piratenpartij-De Groenen with 42, and Partij voor de Dieren with 41.

Two parties filed court cases about their participation in the election. The conservative Christian party JEZUS LEEFT objected to the Electoral Council declaring its candidate list invalid because it did not include the required list of candidates' dates of birth, and the person who submitted it forgot to sign it. The Council of State ruled against JEZUS LEEFT, and the party will not participate in the European Parliament election.

The other party that went to the Council of State was NL PLAN EU, claiming unequal treatment for non-established parties like itself. Non-established parties have to submit decorations of support and pay a deposit, something that parties who have obtained a seat in previous elections do not have to do. However, NL PLAN EU failed to attend the hearing and did not pay the court fees, so the Council of State dismissed the case. The Electoral Council already approved the party’s candidate list, so NL PLAN EU will participate in the election.

Netherlands residents will vote in the European Parliament elections on June 6. These are the parties and groups that will participate:

1. GROENLINKS / Partij van de Arbeid (PvdA)
2. VVD
3. CDA - Europese Volkspartij
4. Forum voor Democratie
5. D66
6. Partij voor de Dieren
7. 50PLUS
8. PVV (Partij voor de Vrijheid)
9. JA21
10. NL PLAN EU
11. ChristenUnie
12. Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij (SGP)
13. BBB
14. Meer Directe Democratie
15. SP (Socialistische Partij)
16. vandeRegio
17. Volt Nederland
18. Belang Van Nederland (BVNL)
19. NSC
20. Piratenpartij - De Groenen