Minister Bruins criticizes ON! Board member’s racist remarks
Education, Culture, and Media Minister Eppo Bruins raised alarm over allegations of racism towards Gert Jan Mulder, a 66-year-old former banker and supervisory board member at Ongehoord Nederland (ON!). The controversy arose following a de Volkskrant investigation that revealed Mulder’s past social media posts, which contained offensive comments about Muslims, LGBTQ+ individuals, and women.
“There is no place for racism or discrimination within public broadcasting,” Bruins emphasized, condemning Mulder’s remarks as “unacceptable.” Bruins announced plans to consult with the NPO and the Dutch Media Authority to review and possibly strengthen the public broadcaster’s code of conduct.
“We will review the content and enforcement of the code to determine if changes are necessary,” Bruins stated. The minister also emphasized the need for high standards within public broadcasting, adding that social safety will be prioritized in forthcoming public broadcasting reforms.
Mulder, a prominent figure in far-right circles with ties to coalition party PVV, and extremist FvD, dismissed the allegations as “outrageous.” He claimed his comments were “taken out of context” or were statements with which he was “unfamiliar."
National public broadcasting organization NPO stated it was “shocked” by Mulder’s comments and pledged to address the matter with ON!’s leadership. The board is currently chaired by Harm Beertema, a former PVV member and close associate to Mulder.
The controversy follows previous incidents involving ON! board members. Three years ago, then-chair Taco Dankers resigned after revelations that he led an antisemitic think tank. Earlier this year, board member Rob Legeland faced backlash over an anonymous account that shared Islamophobic and racist content. The ON! members’ council will ultimately decide on any potential disciplinary actions concerning Mulder.
