Splinter is a political party in the Netherlands. It was founded in December 2020 by Femke Merel van Kooten, who has led it since and served as its '' lijsttrekker'' in the 2021 general election. It has a

progressive Progressive may refer to: Politics * Progressivism, a political philosophy in support of social reform ** Progressivism in the United States, the political philosophy in the American context * Progressive realism, an American foreign policy par ...

, secular and social liberal ideology.

History

The party was founded in December 2020 by

Femke Merel van Kooten-Arissen Femke Merel van Kooten-Arissen (born 9 November 1983) is a Dutch politician and former member of the House of Representatives. She was first elected in the 2017 general election, in which she stood as a member of the Party for the Animals (Par ...

, who had been an independent member of the House of Representatives since 16 July 2019. She was first elected for the

Party for the Animals The Party for the Animals ( nl, Partij voor de Dieren; PvdD) is a List of political parties in the Netherlands, political party in the Netherlands. Among its main goals are animal rights and animal welfare. Since 2019, the PvdD's political lead ...

in the 2017 election. The party participated in the 2021 election, but did not receive enough votes for a seat in the House of Representatives. The party's logo is a multi-colored phoenix, a mythical creature reborn from its own ashes over and over again. It is a reference to the COVID-19 pandemic from which the Netherlands will have to resurrect, but the phoenix also symbolizes the political career of Van Kooten-Arissen. In 2020, the party was offered a 250,000 Euro donation by a Russian citizen, Vadim Belikov, a co-founder of the Night Wolves movement. The party rejected it and notified Dutch security services.

Structure and ideology

Splinter claims to be characterized by a "flat" party structure. Via its member platform ''Fractiekamer'', members are able to comment directly on the election program, and to submit motions and amendments. The party has a social liberal and secular ideology. It states that religious expressions and freedoms that restrict others in their expressions and freedoms must not be tolerated.

Electoral results

House of Representatives

References

{{Liberal political parties in the Netherlands 2020 establishments in the Netherlands Liberal parties in the Netherlands Political parties established in 2020 Political parties in the Netherlands Secularism in the Netherlands Social liberal parties