Volt MP Gündoğan suspended over transgressive behavior

Political party Volt suspended MP Nilüfer Gündoğan following multiple reports "indicating transgressive behavior," the party said on its website. Gündoğan told the Volkskrant that she had no idea where the complaints came from. "I don't know anything, and apparently, I'm not allowed to know anything. I have no idea what this is about," she told the newspaper.

In a statement, the party said that it received the reports in recent weeks. It hired an external integrity agency to investigate the reports. "Volt has now decided to immediately suspend the MP as a member of the Volt faction. This is to create a safe environment for those involved for the continuation of the investigation and to allow both parties to be heard."

"This means, among other things, that she will abstain from debates, party and public appearances, and campaign activities on behalf of the party," said the spokesperson of the faction when asked what the suspension entails. "Furthermore, she will not have contact with employees within the party and representatives of the media on behalf of the party. She will also not be active on social media."

The spokesperson did not say anything about the nature of the reports and whether they came from the private or work environment. "Then I would say something substantive about the investigation."

Volt has three seats in parliament. Gündoğan (44) has been a member of Volt's parliamentary faction since March 31 last year. She was second on the candidate list in the parliamentary election, behind party leader Laurens Dassen. Her portfolio includes finance and education.

Last week, PvdA parliamentarian Gijs van Dijk resigned after several reports of "undesirable behavior in the private sphere."