Dutch Kurd submits candidacy for leadership of ruling VVD party
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Dutch Minister of Justice and Security Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, a Dutch citizen with a Kurdish-Turkish background, has expressed interest to lead the liberal-conservative People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) party in elections this autumn.
Ik heb besloten mij kandidaat te stellen als lijsttrekker van de VVD. Het woord is nu aan het bestuur en dan de leden van de VVD.
— Dilan Yesilgöz - Zegerius (@DilanYesilgoz) July 12, 2023
Ik neem in elk geval graag de verantwoordelijkheid om ons land nog mooier te maken.
“I have decided to put myself forward as a candidate for the party leader of the VVD,” she tweeted on Wednesday. “The floor is now up to the board and then the members of the VVD. In any case, I gladly take responsibility for making our country even more beautiful.”
Outgoing VVD leader and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s coalition government fell apart over its asylum policies last week. He said will continue to lead a temporary transition government until elections are held, and added that he did not express interest in continuing to lead the VVD party.
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Born in Ankara in 1977, Yesilgöz-Zegerius spent the majority of her life in the Netherlands. Her Kurdish father, Yücel Yeşilgöz, originally from Dersim (Tunceli), sought refuge in the Netherlands following a Turkish military coup in 1984.
As a member of the VVD, Dilan Yesilgöz-Zegerius swiftly advanced in her political career within the Netherlands.
Read More: Netherlands eyes judicial cooperation with Kurdistan Region on ISIS crimes: Justice Minister
She also visited the Kurdistan Region for a two-day visit in May 2022, where she met top leaders to discuss crimes committed by ISIS. Also during the visit, Yesilgöz-Zegerius sought judicial cooperation to prevent impunity for ISIS members that committed crimes in the region, including those committed against Yezidis.