The evening served to get 2023 underway in the Netherlands, with an interactive discussion on a number of important topics like the Green New Deal for Europe and a presentation of DiEM25NL’s plans for the year ahead

On Thursday, February 2, DiEM25 in the Netherlands organised a successful first event of 2023 in Utrecht. As well as a general introduction to DiEM25, the evening included an interactive discussion on the Green New Deal for Europe and the presentation of DiEM25NL’s plans for 2023.

The evening started off with an introduction to DiEM25 by Roald Neuteboom, a member of the Dutch coordination team. After this brief introduction, political director Erik Edman took to the stage and gave an overview of DiEM25’s origins in the Eurozone crisis, its flagship policy proposal the Green New Deal for Europe and its struggle to unite the European left around it.

Following Edman’s talk and a short break, an interactive discussion was started using the audience participation tool Mentimeter. Members of the audience used their phones to submit questions which were then projected on screen. The discussion touched upon a variety of topics.

“We went into the GNDE, its implications for the nitrogen crisis as part of our ongoing escalating environmental crisis and the political ineptitude of both the EU and the Netherlands as they’re steered by their oligarchic sponsors and overlords,” said Sam de Goeij, member of the Dutch coordination.

Specific questions about DiEM25 and the Green New Deal for Europe from the audience were answered, not only by Edman, but also by DiEM25’s policy coordinator Amir Kiyaei and communication strategist Davide Castro who were present as well.

The evening ended with Dutch coordination member Friso van der Vijgh presenting DiEM25’s plans in the Netherlands for 2023 (see below). Among other things, the Dutch team wants to promote DiEM25’s name and grow its active membership by engaging in activism and policy-making.

According to Van der Vijgh, DiEM25 has to seek allies in the Netherlands: “Since we’re at the early stages of movement building with DiEM25 in the Netherlands, it’s important to spread DiEM’s name by collaborating with developed activist organisations such as Extinction Rebellion and Nederland Wordt Beter. We already support their struggles in principle, but now it’s time to put words into action.”

The next such action takes place on March 11, when Dutch DiEM-ers will join for a Night Against Sexual Violence organised by PLAN International. DiEM25 member and Gender-Based Violence activist Lucille Cornelius Karjalainen invited everyone in the audience to join for the 20km fundraiser walk. You can sign up for DiEM25’s team here.

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