LEF – For the New Generation

LEF – For the New Generation (Dutch: LEF – Voor de Nieuwe Generatie, pronounced [ˈlɛf | voːr də ˈniu.ə ɣeːnəˈraːtsi]), also known simply as LEF (lit. 'courage'), is a political party in the Netherlands focused on youth interests. The party participated in the 2023 House of Representatives elections with Daniël van Duijn as lead candidate, but was unable to win a seat.^[2]

LEF – For the New Generation LEF – Voor de Nieuwe Generatie
Abbreviation	LEF
Leader	Daniël van Duijn
Founder	Daniël van Duijn
Founded	18 December 2020; 3 years ago (2020-12-18)
Ideology	Youth politics E-democracy Environmentalism[1]
Colors	Purple and black
Website
lef.nl
Politics of Netherlands Political parties Elections

History

Daniël van Duijn in 2023

The party was founded by party leader Daniël van Duijn in 2020. It participated in the 2022 municipal election in Amsterdam and The Hague, but was unable to win a seat in either municipal council.^[3][4]

The party participated in the 2023 Dutch general election with Van Duijn as its lead candidate. The party received 5,053 votes, not enough for a seat.^[5] They chose to campaign solely by performing campaign stunts.^[6] One of these had Van Duijn paste the party's poster on the windows of the studio from which Buitenhof was being live broadcast, thereby interrupting an interview with Party for the Animals party leader Esther Ouwehand. While doing this, Van Duijn exclaimed: "Climate is more important than Omtzigt!".^[7] Van Duijn also interrupted the final leaders' debate before the elections by stepping up onto the stage, yelling accusations of 'old politics', and told Dilan Yeşilgöz that her VVD party should 'never come to power again'. After this Van Duijn was arrested by police.^[8][9] He was released the next day, on the condition that he would stay away from the House of Representatives on results evening.^[10]

Ideology

The party program of the 2023 House of Representative elections listed several key points, such as the implementation of a basic income, citizen councils, lowering the voting age to under 18, and compensating students with student debt. The party furthermore has a general focus on the younger generation, and advocates for stronger climate action.^[1]

Party leader Van Duijn made the news when it became clear that he had the party's most important program points tattooed on his forearm by renowned tattoo artist Henk Schiffmacher. It concerned the following points, regarding the 2022 municipal elections in Amsterdam and The Hague:^[11][12]

• Enter basic income (basisinkomen invoeren)
• Loosening real estate (vastgoed losmaken)
• Exciting nightlife (bruisend nachtleven)
• Mental peace (mentale rust)
• Drugs safe (drugs veilig)
• Climate positive city (klimaatpositieve stad)
• Set up citizen councils (burgerraden opzetten)
• Slow down the city (stad onthaasten)
• Quality time (quali-tijd)
• Youth at the table (jeugd aan tafel)

Election results

House of Representatives

Election	Lead candidate	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Government
2023	Daniël van Duijn	5,122	0.05 (#23)	0 / 150	New	Extra-parliamentary

Municipal elections

Election year	Municipal council
	Municipality	Votes	%	# of overall seats won	+/−
2022
	Amsterdam	848[3]	0.26%	0 / 45	New
	The Hague	1,618[4]	0.89%	0 / 45	New

See also

• List 17 [nl] (formally LEF Association), a young people's party which contested in the 2010 election
• JONG, a party for youth interests which contested in the 2021 election
• Connect Wageningen, a local party for students, young adults, and internationals in Wageningen
• Student & Starter, a local party for students, young people, and first-time homeowners in Utrecht
• Student en Stad, a local students' party in Groningen
• Studenten Techniek In Politiek (STIP), a local students' party in Delft

References

1. "Programma" [Program]. LEF (in Dutch). Retrieved 21 October 2023.
2. "Proces verbaal over geldigheid en nummering kandidatenlijsten Tweede Kamerverkiezing 2023" [Official report on validity and numbering of candidate lists for the 2023 House of Representatives election] (PDF). Kiesraad (in Dutch). 13 October 2023. p. 125. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
3. "Verkiezingsuitslagen voor de gemeente Amsterdam" [Election results for the municipality of Amsterdam]. Alle Cijfers (in Dutch). 12 August 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
4. "Verkiezingsuitslagen voor de gemeente Den Haag" [Election results for the municipality of The Hague]. Alle Cijfers (in Dutch). 12 August 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
5. "Uitslagen Tweede Kamer 2023" [Results House of Representatives 2023]. NOS (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 November 2023.
6. Van Bekkum, Dylan (15 November 2023). "Lef-lijsttrekker Daniël van Duijn: 'Jongeren worden niet gehoord, niet serieus genomen en vissen achter het net'" [LEF lead candidate Daniël van Duijn: 'Youths aren't being heard, not taken serious and are missing their opportunity']. De Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 19 November 2023.
7. "Programma Buitenhof verstoord door posterplakker op wankelende ladder: 'Creatief'" [Buitenhof program disrupted by poster sticker on a tottering ladder: 'Creative']. AD (in Dutch). 12 November 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
8. "Demonstrant verstoort slotdebat van NOS" [Protester interrupts final debate of NOS]. NOS (in Dutch). 21 November 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
9. "Politie houdt LEF-voorman aan die lijsttrekkersdebat verstoorde" [Police arrests LEF frontman who interrupted party leaders debate]. RTL Nieuws (in Dutch). 22 November 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
10. "Lijsttrekker die debat verstoorde is vrij maar moet uit buurt Tweede Kamer blijven" [Party leader who disrupted debate is free but must stay away from House of Representatives]. Nu.nl (in Dutch). 22 November 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
11. Wolters, Pleun (28 September 2023). "Daniël is dol op politiek: de partijpunten staan op zijn arm getatoeëerd" [Daniël loves politics: the party points are tattooed on his arm]. Studio040 (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 October 2023.
12. Olsthoorn, Ronald (12 February 2022). "LEF-lijsttrekker tatoeert partijpunten op arm: "Politiek heeft behoefte aan verbeeldingskracht"" [LEF party leader tattoos party points on arm: "Politics needs imagination"]. AT5 (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 October 2023.

External links

• Official website