In one of the largest gatherings in the party’s history, ALDE Party member D66 celebrated its 60th anniversary in the very venue where its story began in 1966. Nearly 2,000 people attended last weekend’s Congress, filling the Amsterdam RAI with anniversary spirit – but also optimism.
Sixty years ago, a group of concerned optimists gathered with a shared ambition to renew Dutch democracy and break through the country’s political deadlock. Their appeal eventually led to the founding of D66 on 14 October 1966.
While the party’s history stretches back six decades, its most successful electoral chapter began with last October’s election. D66 won a record 26 seats, tying for the largest number of seats in the Dutch parliament.
Party leader and Prime Minister Rob Jetten led the campaign with a message built around optimism. The leader declared in his keynote speech:
“The real political choice of our time is between the pessimists and the optimists.”
That optimism was palpable at this year’s Congress. The anniversary gathering was filled with celebration and festivity, bringing together party members around D66’s message of positive politics. Performances by rock band Typhoon and a breakdance group added an energetic spark to the celebrations.
Aside from the celebrations, the programme also combined political content with history, personal stories and entertainment. These themes came through in speeches by Jetten & party chair Alexandra van Huffelen and the interview of Parliamentary Group leader Jan Paternotte.
Jetten used his keynote speech to pay tribute to the founders and generations of D66 politicians who had carried the party’s ideas forward:
“Sixty years ago, a movement started here that refused to accept stagnation. We are continuing that tradition today. We are tackling problems with optimism. We do not simply accept that something cannot be done. We keep going until it can be done.”
Liberals from across the D66 family attended the Congress, including former Deputy Prime Minister Sigrid Kaag and former party leader Alexander Pechtold. ALDE Party Vice-President Fatimazhra Belhirch MP also attended, while ALDE Party Secretary-General Didrik de Schaetzen spoke with Jetten and van Huffelen.
The anniversary Congress gave D66 a chance to look back at where it came from while setting its sights firmly on what comes next. The optimism that brought a small group of concerned citizens together 60 years ago is now being carried into a new political era.
“Flood the Netherlands with optimism,” he told the Congress.
Sixty years after a small group gathered to challenge political stagnation, D66 is once again asking the Netherlands to believe that something better is possible.
View the adopted motions and more information here.