ALDE Party member D66 presented its draft electoral manifesto “It’s possible” ahead of snap parliamentary elections in the Netherlands scheduled for 29 October.
In its programme, the party focuses on housing, education, climate, a new economy and the healthiest generation ever, linking its ambitious goals to five major breakthroughs that could pull the Netherlands out of its current stagnation.
D66 leader Rob Jetten explained that the party sees these elections as an opportunity to turn the tide and point the country towards a new direction.
“Our election manifesto chooses a different path. To dare to dream big and make major breakthroughs possible together. So that you can find a house that feels like home, work that pays well, have the freedom to love whoever you want, and the confidence that the future is something to look forward to. Because we believe: it is possible,” said Jetten.
For example, D66 wants to tackle the housing shortage by building ten completely new future-proof cities. One of these, set between Amsterdam and the province of Flevoland, is provisionally called IJstad and aims to host around 126,000 residents and 60,000 homes.
The proposal aligns with existing plans such as the IJmeer Connection, a new rail and road connection between Amsterdam and Almere, also necessary to implement the existing plans for the construction of 30,000 homes in Almere Pampus.
By building new modern, compact cities with a mix of urban development and abundant greenery, D66 aim to prove that housing development, transport links and nature restoration can mutually reinforce each other.
Jetten leads D66’s list of candidates for the elections, followed by the party’s sitting Members of Parliament Jan Paternotte, Hans Vijlbrief, Anne-Marijke Podt and Joost Sneller.
The draft election programme will be presented to D66 members for adoption at an upcoming party Congress on 4 October in Den Bosch, Netherlands.
Photo: D66