DEN BOSCH (ANP) – Christine Teunissen promised at her first congress as leader of the Party for the Animals that she will stand up for both animals and people. “We started with the animals. And from the interests of the animals follow the interests of nature, ecosystems, and people who are being oppressed,” the politician told her fellow party members on Saturday afternoon in the Brabanthallen in Den Bosch.
The question of whether the party should focus primarily on animal issues or also on human matters is a recurring point of contention. Last year, Senator and co-founder Niko Koffeman and his fellow party member Peter Nicolaï broke with the party because it was allegedly focusing too much on ‘human matters’ such as Gaza.
Earlier this month, Teunissen took over the leadership from Esther Ouwehand, who, by her own account, no longer had the “maximum energy” to fulfil that role. Under Ouwehand, there was more attention paid to human matters. In the House of Representatives, she regularly delivered passionate pleas for the Palestinian cause. Partly prompted by the Russian war against Ukraine, she called defence spending a “necessary evil”. That led to dissatisfaction among some members of the originally pacifist party. At the time of the leadership change, Teunissen had already stated that the party course would remain the same: “The person changes, the ideology remains the same.”
Palestinians
After her speech, Teunissen said that, as far as she is concerned, the party course has not changed at all. “It is the world that is changing. And as a party, you have to take a position in that.” She sees that most members share this view and finds it “sad” that not everyone could go along with it.
At the congress, Teunissen also championed the Palestinians. She expressed her disappointment in Rob Jetten. Before his time as Prime Minister, he participated in the mass demonstration calling on the cabinet to draw a ‘red line’ against Israel. But now that he leads the cabinet, the D66 member is too silent in her eyes. Teunissen observes that the Prime Minister skirts around the question of whether he wants to recognise the Palestinian state in debates and finds that “bewildering”.
Climate Warriors
In her speech, Teunissen emphasised that advocating for animal welfare remains a key pillar. “Our party originally started from their perspective. From the perspective of the vulnerable and individual animal.” She railed against factory farming and pleaded for more drastic environmental and climate policies.
The new party leader applied for the vacancy of ‘climate warrior’ that, according to her, has become available. “Because in a short time, Rob Jetten has transformed from a climate advocate into a Prime Minister who no longer acts like an advocate.”
