There were many debates again last week. Here is a small summary of four different debates

• It was on March 4th Green Election Debate in Naturalis, where young people debated with eleven politicians. The central question was how the world can be left livable for young people, since young people are very critical of current climate policy. The parties' views differed on some issues. For example, the Party for the Animals wants a ministry for climate or biodiversity that tests the policies of other ministries and the SP wants more money for nature restoration.
• Monday evening was Op1's first one-on-one debate. Other party leaders will be discussed in the coming days. Sigrid Kaag (D66) and Lillianne Ploumen (PvdA) were the first party leaders to face each other. In general, the two party leaders often agreed with each other: the Dutch position as a tax haven must end and the Netherlands must take a leading role in climate measures. NOS reporter Xander van der Wulp saw that the two party leaders were more critical of the VVD and CDA than of each other.
• The one-on-one debate was not the only debate yesterday. Organized on International Women's Day NPO Radio1 an emancipation debate. The VVD was the only party that voted against a women's quota at the top of large companies. Contraception in the basic package for both men and women was also rejected by the VVD with the support of the CDA. This also applies to the statement that the government should enforce equal pay between men and women and free childcare: the VVD was the only party against it. However, all parties agreed that the government must do more to combat sexual misconduct.
• In addition to the previous debates, there was also the KNMG Healthcare Debate. Topics such as investments in healthcare and the reduction of healthcare administration were discussed here, which are of course polarizing topics. As a result, the parties differed on how this should be done. For example, the VVD was attacked because it has consistently ignored the PVV's proposals to increase healthcare salaries.

Political information

• VVD party leader Rutte is paying more and more attention to the SP, of which it has become clear that party leader Marijnissen is interested in participating. to govern, except with the PVV and FvD. However, 49 percent of its supporters are less convinced of this: they would prefer to see the party stick to its own principles and positions, even if this means that the party cannot co-govern.
• In an interview with de Volkskrant, Geert Wilders clearly indicated that the party wants to govern. In contrast to the previous elections when the party had a party program of 1 A4 sheet, this time the party has written out the party program with the aim of governing. The PVV has an uncompromising program, which makes co-governing with the party difficult, but Geert Wilders has confidence in it.
• On International Women's Day, female politicians received more attention: what they wear (clothes matter during campaign time), the hateful reactions that female politicians receive online, Kaag's call to women and girls not to be put down online, but also appreciation that the female party leaders do not attack each other in debates.

In the orange bar you can see the latest polls (March 9, 2021). The blue bar shows the current distribution of seats in the House of Representatives. Compared to last week's polls, there are some small fluctuations. VVD, ChristenUnie and 50PLUS have added another seat. CDA, DENK, GroenLinks and PvdA have one seat less. The rest of the parties have remained the same compared to last week's polls.

The three seats under 'other' are now divided among Ja21 (2 seats) and Volt (1 seat). It is striking that other polls by, for example, Kantar or Maurice de Hond, the other parties end up with 6 to 7 seats.
Source: EenVandaag

Derk Boswijk (#14 CDA Candidate List) 
Born: April 8, 1989, Woerden
residence: Stichtse Vecht
Course: MBO Construction real estate brokerage, HBO Construction engineering business administration, Pre-master public administration, Master Urban and Area development.
Functions: Entrepreneur structural engineer (2006-2016)
Project developer at Heyen Beheer, real estate investors (2016-present)
Reserve officer at Royal Netherlands Army (2019-present)

Raoul Boucke (#10 Candidate List D66) 
Born: November 1, 1976, Paramaribo
residence: Rotterdam
Course: Chemical Engineering, TU Delft
Functions: Advisor for European and International Carbon Markets, European Commission, 2011-2015
Civil Servant at EU, mainly in Transport and Aviation, 2016-2020
Transport Policy Advisor, Permanent Representation to the European Union, Jan 2017 – Jan 2020
Head of Sustainability and Connection Department, Aviation Directorate, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, from January 2020

Marjolein Faber (#18 PVV candidate list) 
Born: June 16, 1960, Amersfoort
Course: Radiodiagnostics, Utrecht University of Applied Sciences. Nuclear medicine VIVO Utrecht.
Functions: IT specialist in financial services, functional management department at Stater in Amersfoort, from 2000 to October 1, 2011
member of the Provincial Council of Gelderland, from March 10, 2011
member of the Senate of the States General, from 7 June 2011
PVV faction leader of the Senate of the States General, from June 10, 2014

Roelien Kamminga  (#14 VVD candidate list)
Born: April 27, 1978, Zuidbroek
residence: Groningen
Course: International Relations towards Conflict Resolution and Disarmament, University of Groningen
Functions: Senior policy advisor on Public Order, Intelligence and Security to Minister Opstelten, Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, (2012 to 2014)
Council Advisor OIV, Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, from July 2014