The SP has expelled 33 members from the party today. They are no longer welcome because they are also members of the former youth organization Rood or the Marxist Forum. The SP has designated both clubs as political parties and, according to the statutes, double membership is not possible.
Among the ex-members are active SP politicians such as Tijs Hardam, who was a candidate on behalf of the Marxist Forum to become SP chairman. The Utrecht SP party leader Laurens Boudens and Member of Parliament Michel Eggermont (Utrecht) have also been stripped of their membership. On Twitter, others also let us know that they received an email from party secretary Arnout Hoekstra today. It states that they do not meet the conditions to be a member of the SP.
Hoekstra confirms that the membership of 33 members has been terminated. According to him, there is no question of expulsion: on 8 October members were offered the choice of joining the SP or the Red and/or Marxist Forum. They were then given a two-week cooling-off period. Hoekstra: “Due to the double membership, they do not meet the conditions to be able to be a member for longer, just like people who do not pay their contribution.”
In the clinch
The SP has been at odds for some time with younger members in particular who want to pull the party further to the left. This dispute already led to the severing of ties with youth organization Rood. Marxist Forum is regarded by the SP as a relaunch of the Communist Platform, whose members were no longer welcome from the party.
The dismissed members believe that the party is engaged in a witch hunt and came up with their own candidates for the SP board, such as candidate chairman Hardam. However, he is no longer eligible for election.
Hoekstra says that even more SP members may no longer be members. According to him, the 33 who have now received their congé came up because they are active on ‘public websites’ for Rood and/or Marxist Forum. “Today it remains with these 33, but if it turns out that others are also active for Red or Marxist Forum, we will write to them and they will be presented with the same choice.”
‘Stream’
Hoekstra does not want to know about a party purge. “It concerns 33 of the 31,000 members. Then the word purification is exaggerated. They were also presented with a choice. These ex-members themselves act as if they are with a very large group, but I think that is not so bad. It is a stroke of 33. Moreover: everyone is welcome with us, whether you are the extreme left communist or a bit more liberal.”
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