The duty of political parties - Main contents

Please note that this event was held in Dutch

Dutch political parties and voters share a relationship that can be labelled as 'diffuse'. A society without political parties is unimaginable. Nonetheless, political parties can - without doubt - count on a lot of criticism. Furthermore, barely 3% of the Dutch population is a member of a political party.

What is the role of political parties nowadays in the Dutch electoral system? And what role should they be fulfilling? What kind of relationship do they share with their backing? Is it attractive for citizens to be member of a political party? Or do prominent party members act regardless of what their backing feels? What are the differences between political parties?

A debate between Patrick van Schie (chairman of Teldersstichting), Gerrit Voerman (chairman DNPP), Marty Smits (vice-president D66) and Menno Hurenkamp (chief-editor magazine Wiardi Beckman Stichting).