PVV blocks vote on amendment to ban discrimination based on disability or sexuality

The Senate will no longer vote this year on amending the constitution to explicitly state that people may not be discriminated against because of a disability or their sexual orientation. After a long day of debate, the PVV requested a roll-call vote, which was no longer feasible due to the absence of many senators. Other factions reacted angrily.

An extension of Article 1 of the Constitution has been in the works for more than twelve years. The vote in the Senate is the last important hurdle that must be taken to amend this. That is why interested parties followed the debate all day, hoping to be present if the outcome was positive. Judging by the debate, the constitutional extension seemed to be moving towards a victorious vote.

Such an amendment must be approved by a majority of the Tweede Kamer and also the Eerste Kamer, the Dutch Senate. Subsequently, both Houses must reconsider the amendment after elections have been held. In addition, a two-thirds majority must agree. That so-called second reading has already taken place in the lower House, and it will follow in the Senate "as early as possible in January, preferably at the first meeting," said chair Jan Anthonie Bruijn.

Almost all political groups expressed their dissatisfaction with the PVV's strategy. Ruard Ganzevoort of GroenLinks spoke of a "political game," and Niko Koffeman of the PvdD thought it was a "shameful display.”

Annabel Nanninga (Fractie-Nanninga) called it a "very ugly state of affairs" and even "rude.” D66, PvdA, SP, VVD and FVD said they were sorry on behalf of the people waiting in the gallery.

Henk Otten drew attention to the empty seats and called the absence of some of the senators "very sad.”

PVV member Alexander van Hattem, who had not announced his plan to request the roll-call vote in advance, said he believed that the debate could not end in a "half-empty room,” stating, “If there is a constitutional amendment, it is something very fundamental."