Opstel Maatschappijleer

GroenLinks

1. Why I chose GroenLinks
For my essay about ‘my political party’ I chose for the party GroenLinks. Because I don’t support any party yet, it was quite difficult to chose, but after reading some information, I chose GroenLinks, because I agree with them on most subjects. I could also find lots of information about this party, because Paul RosemÃller, their party-leader has just left politics and Femke Halsema has became the new leader. See picture:
Femke Halsema: ‘GroenLinks is nog niet de grootste maar wel de slimste partij!’

2. The history of GroenLinks.
In 1990 the parties PPR, PSP, CPN and EVP joined and set up a new party, GroenLinks. During the next ten years GroenLinks grew into a significant party with lots of supporters and hundreds of political representatives throughout the country. There are about 15,000 members and it’s increasing.
Since the elections in 1998 GroenLinks is represented by eleven people in the Tweede Kamer. In 1999 eight member from GroenLinks joined the Eerste Kamer. The GroenLinks party in the European Parliament consists of four representatives who follow European developments. More than 650 municipality members work for GroenLinks. In South Holland they have got a member from the Gedeputeerde Staten and in 39 municipalities about 60 GroenLinks aldermen are active. Then they also, of course, have representatives on provincial level, and not to forget, the many active members who keep the party going.

3. Their election programme.
GroenLinks´ election-programme is called ‘Overvloed en onbehagen’. It consists of their opinions on five main subjects:

Welfare
Due to the national growth, wealth has increased. Because of this our country is getting fuller with roads, cars, houses and industrial areas. The energy consumption is growing. GroenLinks wants a new balance. For a good quality of life, you also need peace, clean air, space, clean water and healthy food. That’s why they want to invest in cleaner energy and better public transport.

Social
GroenLinks chooses for a society in which the strongest shoulders carry the heaviest loads. A society in which people with difficulties are helped by others. In many places in The Netherlands we don’t have enough workers, like in care and education. At the same time many people who want to work, don’t have the opportunity to do this. With good individual training, more school and language education and more part-time work possibilities, these people can also get an opportunity in the labour market.

Open
The Netherlands has changed. Especially in the big cities this is noticeable. People with different nationalities live together. This can have lots of positive sides, but there also is tension. It needs lots of creativity, patience and perseverance. GroenLinks stands for an open society, which reacts flexibly on these changes.

Solidarity
We are changing into cosmopolitans. Companies are getting bigger and more international; television, flying and the internet are making our world bigger. But this globalisation also has bad sides. The big gap between poor and rich is increasing in size. In the foreign policy of The Netherlands our economic interests are the most important factors. GroenLinks wants the Netherlands to try to make our world safer and fairer.

Budgeting
GroenLinks stands for a growth policy that gives enough opportunities for investments in public services. Now and in the future.

4. What they think about some other important subjects.
I chose some other subjects that I think are important, this is their opinion:

Safety
Crime and unsafe cities, or parts of cities are big problems. GroenLinks finds solving the cause is most important, only more police and higher punishments won’t help. But if it does go wrong, the police and justice do have to act, of course.

Education
More money has got to go to education and schools. Good education is very important for young people who are developing and are the future workers. Jobs in this sector have to be made more attractive.

Third world countries
Help for third world countries has to be based on solving the causes for poverty. They want education and healthcare to be available for everyone. They also want to help these countries to develop economically with respect to nature.

5. My opinion.
Now I have done some research on GroenLinks, I have found out I think they are a good party. I don’t know if I would vote for them, because I don’t know enough about the other parties, but I would consider it! GroenLinks finds the well-being of our nature very important (as you can see in their name) they even find it more important than the economical growth. I don’t know if I agree with that I find our nature very important, and I agree we have to look after it as well as possible, but is it more important than our economy??? I don’t know!