MERA25 Leeuwarden kicked off its election campaign with heart, music, and solidarity, offering a grassroots alternative in uncertain political times

I always say, we don’t need a lot of people but not enough heart, if we have a few people with a lot of heart! It was a cold and still snow-covered day in Leeuwarden this Saturday afternoon. Nonetheless, the weather did not deter some 30 of us gathering together to celebrate and witness the launch of MERA25 Leeuwarden’s Election Campaign. We had comrade Luca di Bernardo from MERA25 Germany as well as members of MERA25 from other parts of the country in attendance. 

The afternoon was filled with enthusiastic speeches by myself, Luca and the lead candidate Ilse Terheggen, and even a musical performance by the other candidate Rienk Aalbers, with one common theme: a grassroots alternative! Leeuwarden is a city that is truly a worker’s city and where best should a party like MERA25, that aims to shift the power from the few to the many, be launched? 

MERA25 candidates Ilse Terheggen and Rienk Albers are a breath of fresh air. Understanding that they need to mobilise the local community through solidarity and a fresh outlook on the problems we face, I can truly say that we have found people with a lot of heart. Chatting to locals after the event, I found that local people are excited to be a part of this new chapter in Leeuwarden. We even had a member of another party cheering us on and being a very supportive force in the audience. 

The Netherlands has undergone a few years of rocky political terrain with our noses pressed firmly against the glass of fascism and right wing extremism. It is clear that we are nowhere near being out of the woods. Hearing from German colleagues after the event that their bus was stopped and searched, with police going through the personal documents of every passenger, is a harbinger of things to come.

Europe, as predicted by DiEM25 in 2016 is now on the brink of totalitarianism and fascism whilst the powers that be manipulate global foundations and deliberately cause instability and fear. We cannot wait to see what will happen! We already know the answer.

That is why this is an urgent call to every member of DiEM25 to form MERA25 Collectives in every city to brace ourselves for this next wave. It is through democratic elections that we can have a voice at local and national level. However it will take a joint, collective effort to not just raise our voices but raise the bar of collective responsibility.

If not us, then who, if not now, then when?

History will never be made by silent complicity. We applaud those who on the face of the evil of their days rising, stood up to make a mark in history that cannot be erased! We need a resounding YES; in this nation and across the continent and, I dare say, globally. We say yes to the call that has been placed upon the shoulders of our generation! Leeuwarden has said yes! What will you say? 

Lucille Cornelius 

Spokesperson, DiEM25 in Netherlands 

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