The Dunk Party manifesto calls for a ban on discrimination and the imposition of sanctions on Israel.
The Dutch Denk Party has unveiled a new electoral manifesto calling for a comprehensive ban on discrimination by 2030 and tightening measures against Israel. The party believes that despite constitutional protections, exclusion and inequality are still deeply rooted in Dutch institutions.
The party confirms that the current government has contributed to normalizing extremist ideas by involving the PVV party led by Geert Wilders in the coalition with the VVD, NSC, and BBB parties. According to Denk, this step has opened a dangerous path for far-right policies to gain legitimacy in mainstream politics.
The manifesto includes a call for sanctions against Israel, including the cessation of all forms of military and economic cooperation, an arms embargo, and the withdrawal of Dutch pension fund investments from Israeli companies. The party also calls for cutting funding to pro-Israel lobbying groups. The campaign slogan "From the river to the sea" has drawn criticism from rival parties who see it as a call for the destruction of Israel. However, party leader Stefan van Barley emphasized that the slogan symbolizes freedom for the Palestinian people.
In terms of social policies, the Denk Party has committed to focusing on fighting poverty, proposing to provide free breakfast and lunch meals in schools in poor areas, expanding secondary educational pathways to give students greater flexibility, as well as extending religious holiday breaks such as Eid al-Fitr and Diwali. The party also demands additional leave in cases of personal crises such as death.
The party is expected to win three to five seats, which may increase its presence in parliament. The party recently overcame an internal crisis when leader Stefan Van Parley temporarily resigned due to disagreements over candidate selection, before returning to his position after the entire executive council resigned. Following him on the candidate list are Dogukan Ergin and Ismail Al-Abbasi, while the list also includes candidates Elif Eysin and Nasira Abaziz, indicating a greater role for women within the party.