Last weekend, ALDE Party member D66 from the Netherlands held its Autumn Congress.

Parliamentary group leader Rob Jetten in his speech commented on the role D66 plays in the Dutch government coalition: “We have sought and found our role. Of all coalition parties, our voters value the results of this cabinet the most. Our party is stable, eager, self-aware. We do not let others tell us what to do. We are the progressive engine of this coalition.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs Wouter Koolmees highlighted the need to fight the inequality of chances in life: “It is no longer just about what you have, whether you have enough money and a good network. But it is increasingly about what you can do. For skills that are needed to come along in a rapidly changing world, or about people who stay behind and cannot adjust well enough. We need to invest more and thus prevent the need to repair when problems occur.”

Minister for Trade and Development Cooperation, Sigrid Kaas, emphasised that freedom and progress in society are not self-evident: “If history teaches us, it is that progress and freedom are not a self-evident victory route that travels slowly through an infinite lowland. It is a winding path, for which every generation must make an effort again.”

The D66 Congress also named former D66 Party Leader Alexander Pechtold as honorary member of D66. Party President Annemarie Spierings said: “The passion of Alexander Pechtold made me join D66 in 2010. His efforts led to the revival of the party. His commitment is outstanding.”

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