Rotterdam, 4 March 2024
‘My Vote Counts! The Citizens’ Initiative’
All eligible Dutch voters should be able to help decide on issues of social importance. At local, provincial, national and European level alike. This is only possible by holding binding citizens’ referendums on all important topics. This way, people become genuinely involved in political decision-making and direct democracy emerges. That is the challenge Walter Guijt is taking on with ‘My Vote Counts! The Citizens’ Initiative’.
‘My Vote Counts! The Citizens’ Initiative’ is now registered with the Electoral Council and listed in the register for the House of Representatives and the European Parliament. The party is an association. In addition, people can become members of the foundation ‘Friends of My Vote Counts! The Citizens’ Initiative’. Guijt wants to take part in the elections for the municipal council, the Provincial States, the House of Representatives and the European Parliament alike. My Vote Counts! will initially operate within the current parliamentary system in order to be able to introduce citizens’ referendums.
“Citizens currently have too little direct influence. That’s because, after elections, parties make compromises on virtually every point in order to be able to govern together. Parties always water things down, something nobody actually voted for, and that causes a lot to go wrong. Just look at all the political blunders of recent years,” says initiator Walter Guijt, who already issued a political statement back in 2012 titled ‘Elections are a sham’.
“A form of politics everyone understands”
A citizens’ referendum on a given topic shouldn’t be a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ choice either, but a listing of all relevant opinions. Guijt calls this humanistic ethics: “That gives you an outcome that meets the wishes of the majority, while also taking into account other opinions that score well. You lay that down in an ethical covenant. That’s how you get real involvement. ‘My Vote Counts! The Citizens’ Initiative’ believes everyone is smart enough to choose what’s best for the future. It’s time for a change, a form of politics everyone understands.”
Walter Guijt: “Every vote has power. Your opinion really counts. With our new party, you let people know exactly what you think about important issues. Not just with ‘yes’ or ‘no’, in other words, but also in the space in between. Just like choosing your favourite food – you have favourites and things you really don’t like. This way, everyone can say what they truly think about a topic. Together, we are the country, the government, the police, and so on. So get informed and speak your mind!”
“We no longer live in a pillarised society, in which a lot was clear-cut. Many people today feel powerless, because they stand on the sidelines. That’s something you can change with citizens’ referendums. Everyone I talk to thinks it’s a good idea.” In Switzerland, referendums are held regularly and it works very well. According to Guijt, the Netherlands should move in that direction too. “You can simply do that digitally from home. Though of course you do need to put the necessary security measures in place, such as biometrics.”
Guijt is aware that the course he wants to set will, in the long run, lead to the disappearance of the current political system. “Parties and organisations can continue to exist, but then to put forward topics for the citizens’ referendums. Naturally, there also needs to be a group of people who will guide the outcomes of the referendums in the right direction, taking humanistic ethics and equality into account as well. I’m convinced people will see that it works, and that citizens’ referendums will increasingly be held on more and more matters. That way, a new political system will gradually emerge.”
The party now has two websites up and running: www.nl.mijnstemtelt-network.local and www.vriendenvan-nl.mijnstemtelt-network.local
