THE HAGUE – Dutch MP Peter van Haasen of the far-right PVV party stirred controversy during a parliamentary debate on the legacy of slavery by launching sharp criticism at what he described as a "victim industry" built around reparations and awareness programs. According to Van Haasen, following the official apologies from the Dutch government and King Willem-Alexander, a lucrative system has emerged in which institutions and activists receive millions in public funding without contributing to genuine societal progress.
“The slavery fund isn’t the start of healing, but the continuation of a subsidy industry that mainly sustains itself,” Van Haasen stated.
He argued that millions of euros are being spent annually on awareness initiatives, advisory committees, and memorial projects, with limited tangible impact. Van Haasen singled out the recent appointment of John Leerdam as director of the future National Slavery Museum—scheduled to open in 2030—as an example. “By the time the museum opens, he’ll be retired, but in the meantime, public money is already being poured into it,” he said.
Questionable Projects Cited
Van Haasen also pointed to specific initiatives he claimed were wasteful, including:
A project to fly a dance troupe to the Netherlands to perform a tribute to King Rwabugiri of Rwanda
The Winti Bal Masqué, an intercultural festival led by Winti priestess Marian Markelo
One Beat at a Time, a project in which participants collectively strung beads to support the healing of intergenerational trauma
According to the MP, there is a lack of transparency and accountability in how subsidies are allocated and assessed. He posed direct questions to the Minister of the Interior, asking:
“How does the minister evaluate the spending of taxpayer money on these projects? Can she explain how these initiatives specifically enhance knowledge and awareness about the Dutch slavery past? And how were the 189 subsidized projects monitored?”
Heated Response from Parliament
Van Haasen's remarks drew fierce criticism from other parties. Eric van der Burg (VVD) ridiculed the PVV’s position by saying:
“If you asked at a pub quiz ‘who said slavery happened to us’—a PVV member or someone who was enslaved—you’d win that round pretty quickly. It’s absurd for a white Dutchman to claim that slavery happened to him.”
D66 MP Mpanzu Bamenga also rejected Van Haasen’s argument, saying:
“The PVV discredits itself with comments like these. The fact that they don’t recognize the importance of these projects only proves why we must continue them.”
Van Haasen held his ground, asserting that the Netherlands is not a racist country and warning against reducing society to a "black-and-white" narrative.
“We must face our history, but also believe in a society where identity isn’t constantly polarized,” he said.
Minister Judith Uitermarkt (Interior and Kingdom Relations) promised to provide written answers to questions concerning the management and oversight of the slavery awareness fund and its related subsidies.
