Name of the Party: DENK (Dutch for “think” and Turkish for “equality”)
Position in the political spectrum: Left-wing
Ideology: Minority rights, Identity politics, Multiculturalism, Social democracy
Position on Europe: pro Europe
National leader: Tunahan Kuzu
Party in the European Parliament: Number of European MPs elected in 2014: – In the Dutch parliament: on 2017 general election, Denk secured three seats, ensuring that Tunahan Kuzu and Selçuk Öztürk, two Turkish-Dutch members of the House of Representatives, after leaving the Labour Party on 13 November 2014 and founding their parliamentary group, would remain in parliament. The third seat is occupied by Farid Azarkan.
Party programme in English: No
Lead candidate: Ayhan Tonca
Principles for the European Elections 2019: inclusiveness, foreign policy, climate and prosperity are “the most important things to settle with allies within Europe”.
Standing points:
- Security: Denk’s view is that the United Nations and its Security Council need fundamental reform and that the European Union should pursue an independent foreign policy. The movement wants to tackle Islamic extremism by tackling its root causes, which, according to the party, consist of hopelessness, social exclusion, and injustice. On the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, the party advocates that Europe strengthen the international position of Palestine and that the Netherlands recognises the State of Palestine.
- Migration: Countries that close borders for refugees should be severely punished.
- Environment:
- Euro:
- European Institutions: Denk wants to “deeply reform” European administration and is one of the few parties for a European army. Member States have to keep control of their own soldiers.
The full programme is here (Dutch)
