http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2009/05/vvd_leader_under_fire_over_hol.php

VVD leader under fire over holocaust
Friday 29 May 2009

Liberal party (VVD) members and senior officials have reacted angrily to party leader Mark Rutte's suggestion that denying the holocaust should no longer be a crime.

Rutte made the suggestion as part of a plea for more liberal freedom of speech laws. 'But he should never have used this [the holocaust] as an example,' one MP told the Volkskrant.

Dozens of complaints have been made to party HQ and some people have cancelled their membership, the paper says. Local branches have also been fending off angry members. 'I have had 15 to 20 and that is not insignificant in a local party with 200 members,' Tony Colijn, of the Ede town branch was quoted as saying.

A poll by tv show EénVandaag showed 46% backed Rutte and 48% were opposed.

Foreign minister Maxime Verhagen said on Thursday that Rutte had lost his way.

MP Geert Wilders, who claims to be a champion of free speech and is also a great friend of Israel has yet to comment on Rutte's suggestion.

Rutte told Nos radio on Friday that he was sorry for the commotion his comments had caused. He said he had not raised the issue of the holocaust but had been asked about it by reporters and had tried to give a straight answer.

Denying the holocaust would usually be a crime because 'it almost always happens in the context of encouraging violence', he told Nos radio.

Should denying the holocaust be a crime? Take part in our poll

(Dutch 'Liberals' believe in the free market)

Follow up

Holland - Holocaust controversy - former party leader Bolkestein supports Rutte’s free speech advocacy
Bolkestein supports Rutte - Rutte talks to Jews - Van Baalen wants 'deniers' prosecuted, and so does Danish EU parliament candidate Peter Norsk...

HILVERSUM - VVD celebrity Frits Bolkestein [former Chairman of the centre right VVD and European Commissioner for the internal market] supports his party leader Mark Rutte's advocacy for expanding the limits of free speech, which would have the consequence that denial of the holocaust would no longer be a punishable offense in all cases.

Frits Bolkestein - Free Speech
During the TV-program 'Knevel & Van den Brink' Bolkestein argued Tuesday night, that it is better to engage in a debate about subjects such as this, than to forbid certain things to be said. 'Otherwise it will go underground'.

Bolkestein says that he understands that there has been some unrest in the VVD about Rutte's points of view, but 'all in all', he supports it.

The honorary member of the VVD [Voor Vrijheid en Demokratie - For Freedom and Democracy] showed a positive attitude about Ruttes leadership in spite of the party's bad results in recent polls*.

Bolkestein finds Rutte 'an excellent debater'.

He stressed the fact that he himself as a new party leader had needed time in order to develop himself.

* many voters probably defected to Geert Wilders' more radical Freedom Party (PVV) which is having a massive succes in recent polls, because of it sensible approach to immigration and strong anti European Union stances. Wilders was a MP for the VVD before he started his own party.

Source:

De Telegraaf June 3, 2009 - Bolkestein steunt Rutte

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Rutte speaks with Jews after commotion about Holocaust

Uriel Rosenthal - VVD - COT
AMSTERDAM - VVD leader Mark Rutte is going to have talks with Jewish organizations about his proposal to expand freedom of expression. After he presented his plan, there was a lot of commotion about Rutte's statement that the holocaust may be denied.

In the wake of the controversy the co-authors of Rutte's proposal and the leader of the VVD-fraction Uri Rosenthal sat down and talked last Thursday with the Jewish community. Rutte could not be there, because as Chairman of the party he had to partake in the parlamentary discussion in Parliament. He promised to speak in person with the Jewish organizations, he said Sunday night in the TV-program 'Buitenhof'.

Rutte does not regret his remarks and doesn't think there is any reason to offer excuses. 'But I entirely understand the sensitivities,' he said.

Source:

De Telegraaf may 31, 2009 - Rutte spreekt met Joden na ophef over Holocaust

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Hans van Baalen: Holocaust denial to remain a criminal offense

Hans van Baalen - No Free Speech
AMSTERDAM - VVD candidate to the European Parliament Hans van Baalen thinks 'holocaust-deniers must be prosecuted.

This is his reaction to the remarks of party leader Mark Rutte, who said last week that he thinks holocaust denial sorts under freedom of speech.

'I will do everything within my power to let denial of the holocaust remain a criminal offence', van Baalen said. [Hans van Baalen is known for his strong support for the state of Israel]

Rutte said this week that denial of the holocaust does not always have to be an offense.

His statements caused commotion in the party ranks.

Source:

De Telegraaf may 29, 2009 - Van Baalen: Holocaust ontkennen strafbaar

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Comment: Coincidental? How come it's always 'friends of Israel' who so very often are against free speech, and so very often defend torture, Guantanamo Bay, and so very often dream loudly of a nuclear holocaust of the Iranian people?