THE HAGUE – Dutch Member of Parliament Peter van Haasen of the Party for Freedom (PVV) says there is “structural disinterest” in The Hague when it comes to Kingdom Relations. According to Van Haasen, many political parties regularly fail to attend parliamentary meetings concerning relations between the Netherlands and the six Caribbean islands within the Kingdom. 

He notes that, aside from the PVV, only representatives from GroenLinks/PvdA, NSC, VVD, and occasionally D66 are present at these sessions. In his view, parties such as the CDA, ChristenUnie, and BBB show little to no engagement on these matters. 

Van Haasen also pushed back against criticism that the PVV faction is inactive in the Dutch House of Representatives. 

“I’m getting a bit tired of hearing that the PVV does nothing in Parliament,” he said. “Our party is actually very active, including on Kingdom Relations.” 

The PVV has been a vocal participant in recent debates on the political and economic ties between the Netherlands and the Caribbean territories, often advocating for more decisive action and accountability in these relationships.