Editing Forum voor Democratie (section)

==Ideology and political positions==
The FvD has been described as ideologically [[national conservative]],<ref>{{cite web|work=Europe Elects|title=Netherlands|access-date=14 March 2020|url=https://europeelects.eu/european-union/netherlands/}}</ref><ref name="auto2" /> [[conservative liberal]],<ref name="economic liberalism" /> [[Eurosceptic]], and [[right-wing populist]].<ref name="auto1" /> On its official platform, the FvD declares itself to be a movement rather than a party with a focus on protecting Dutch sovereignty, identity, and cultural and intellectual property. The party wants stricter immigration and integration policies, calling for the protection of high culture and "Judeo-Christian values". The FvD is also opposed to the integration of the [[European Union]] which it claims will lead to eventual [[Eurofederalism]] and supports a referendum on Dutch membership of EU.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fvd.nl/standpunten|title=Standpunten &#124; Stem Nederland terug.|website=Forum voor Democratie}}</ref> In the Dutch newspaper ''[[Het Financieele Dagblad]]'', historian and philosopher Joseef Eanders has described the FvD as containing various factions, including members sympathetic to the ideas of [[Ayn Rand]] and [[Michel Houellebecq]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wanders|first=Joseef|date=9 May 2019|title=Baudet wil het onmogelijke: Ayn Rand verenigen met Houellebecq|url=https://fd.nl/opinie/1300641/fvd-wil-het-onmogelijke-ayn-rand-verenigen-met-michel-houellebecq|url-status=live|access-date=19 October 2021|website=Het Financieele Dagblad|language=nl}}</ref> The FvD has also been described as one of several comtemporary conservative-populist parties in the Netherlands that have been inspired by or inherited the mantle of the defunct [[Pim Fortuyn List]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ecpr.eu/Events/Event/PaperDetails/58970|title = The Rise and Fall of the Dutch Forum for Democracy (FVD)}}</ref>

The party initially focused on drawing support from former [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]] (VVD) voters who felt the VVD had grown too soft on the policy areas of European Union and immigration, but saw the [[Party for Freedom]] as too hardline, and tried recruiting candidates who came from professional rather than political backgrounds.<ref>[https://eenvandaag.avrotros.nl/panels/opiniepanel/alle-uitslagen/item/de-aantrekkingskracht-van-baudet/ De aantrekkingskracht van Baudet], ''EenVandaag'', 5 September 2017. Geraadpleegd op 31 October 2017.</ref> The FvD has been accused of cultivating popularity among the [[alt-right]] movement, although the party does not identify itself as such.<ref name="Alt-right">{{cite web|title=Alt-right-beweging juicht op het web hard voor Baudet|url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2017/03/16/alt-right-beweging-juicht-op-het-web-hard-voor-baudet-7415174-a1550730|work=NRC Handelsblad|date=2017-03-16}}</ref>

In the European parliament, the FvD sat with the [[European Conservatives and Reformists]] group before joining [[Identity and Democracy]] in 2022.
===Economy===
FvD is a [[Conservative-liberal|conservative-liberal]] party and supports [[economic liberalism]].<ref name="economic liberalism" /> The party is a proponent of the introduction of a high tax-free bracket for everyone, the abolition of taxes on gifts and inheritance and a radical simplification of tax brackets.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://forumvoordemocratie.nl/standpunten/economie|title=Economie|publisher=Forum voor Democratie|access-date=14 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://forumvoordemocratie.nl/standpunten/belastingen|title=Belastingen|publisher=Forum voor Democratie|access-date=14 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://forumvoordemocratie.nl/standpunten/internet-privacy|title=Internet|publisher=Forum voor Democratie|access-date=14 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://forumvoordemocratie.nl/standpunten/privacy|title=Privacy|publisher=Forum voor Democratie|access-date=14 March 2017}}</ref> The party is a proponent of drastic changes in elementary and secondary education, focusing on performance evaluations for teachers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://forumvoordemocratie.nl/standpunten/onderwijs|title=Onderwijs|publisher=Forum voor Democratie|access-date=14 March 2017}}</ref> It wants to expand the armed forces, expanding the [[National Reserve Corps]] and reverting defense budget cuts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://forumvoordemocratie.nl/standpunten/defensie|title=Defensie|publisher=Forum voor Democratie|access-date=14 March 2017}}</ref>
===Electoral reform===
One of the major issues the party campaigns against is the perceived existence of a "party cartel" in which the main ruling parties of the country divide power among themselves and work towards the same goals despite claiming to be competitors.<ref name="FT" /> The party promises [[direct democracy]] through binding [[referendum|referenda]]<ref name="Spectator" /> as well as directly elected mayors and a directly elected [[Prime Minister of the Netherlands|Prime Minister]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://forumvoordemocratie.nl/standpunten/directe-democratie|title=Directe Democratie|publisher=Forum voor Democratie|access-date=14 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://forumvoordemocratie.nl/standpunten/kartel-bestrijding|title=Kartelbestrijding|publisher=Forum voor Democratie|access-date=14 March 2017}}</ref> The party is also in favor of the government consisting of apolitical experts in their respective fields ("[[technocracy]]"), and top civil servants having to reapply for their positions whenever a new cabinet is formed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://forumvoordemocratie.nl/standpunten/gekozen-minister-president|title=Gekozen minister-president|publisher=Forum voor Democratie|access-date=14 March 2017}}</ref>
===Immigration and European Union===
The party states that it supports protecting European civilization and wants free trade between European nations and the world but is opposed to the [[European Union]] (EU) and the [[Eurozone]]. The party calls for an immediate end to EU enlargement and for the Netherlands to use every veto possible to prevent the EU from becoming a Federal Superstate. It also supports referendums and Dutch withdrawal from the Eurozone and the [[Schengen agreement]]. FvD also wants a renegotiation of Dutch membership of the EU followed by a binding referendum on EU membership and an "intelligent exit" (Nexit) from the EU if it cannot be reformed and terms cannot be met.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://forumvoordemocratie.nl/standpunten/europese-unie|title=Europese Unie|publisher=Forum voor Democratie|access-date=7 April 2020}}</ref>

The FvD also adopts a [[Cultural nationalism|nationalist]] viewpoint in which the Dutch culture should be protected.<ref name="Bloomberg">{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-02-22/the-dutch-election-is-about-more-than-nationalism|title=The Dutch Election Is About More Than Nationalism|date=22 February 2017|author=Leonid Bershidsky|newspaper=Bloomberg.com}}</ref> The party is in favor of reinstating border controls and ending what it perceives as mass immigration.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://forumvoordemocratie.nl/standpunten/wet-bnw|title=Wet Bescherming Nederlandse Waarden|publisher=Forum voor Democratie|access-date=14 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://forumvoordemocratie.nl/standpunten/immigratie-remigratie|title=Immigratie & Remigratie|publisher=Forum voor Democratie|access-date=14 March 2017}}</ref> It also campaigns against unchecked immigration, says it would introduce a Dutch Values Protection Act. The party supports freedom of religion and calls for equal treatment of all citizens regardless of gender, race or sexual orientation, but is also against any further influence of Islamic culture on Dutch society, supports a crackdown on forced or child marriages and wants to ban Islamic face veils and other face coverings. The FvD also opposes foreign funding of Islamic schools and institutions, and argues that all schools in the Netherlands should subscribe to "Judeo-Christian values."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/forum-for-democracy-netherlands-eu-referendum-pvv-fvd-mark-rutte-a8217956.html|title=New Dutch Eurosceptic party that wants Netherlands EU referendum now polling in second place|date=19 February 2018|website=The Independent}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://forumvoordemocratie.nl/standpunten/wet-bnw|title=Wet Bescherming Nederlandse Waarden|publisher=Forum voor Democratie|access-date=7 April 2020}}</ref> FvD also states that immigrants who do not wish to integrate should be offered incentives to return to their native country and that whenever possible asylum seekers should be processed off Dutch soil.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fvd.nl/aanpakken-immigratie|title=Aanpakken immigratie|website=Forum voor Democratie}}</ref>
===Criminal justice===
The party calls for a reform of the Dutch justice system, increased funding for the Dutch police force, tougher penalties against those convicted of violent crimes and where possible for non-naturalized immigrants found guilty of serious crimes to be deported and tried in their country of origin.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://forumvoordemocratie.nl/standpunten/veiligheid-justitie|title=Veiligheid & Justitie|publisher=Forum voor Democratie|access-date=7 April 2020}}</ref>
===Environmental and social policies===
FvD calls for a gradual legalization of soft drugs but also supports reducing the number of [[Coffeeshop (Netherlands)|cannabis coffee shops]] within the vicinity of schools.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://forumvoordemocratie.nl/standpunten/drugs|title=Drugs|publisher=Forum voor Democratie|access-date=7 April 2020}}</ref> The party also calls for a reduction in the use of plastic, more support for the agricultural economy, sustainable farming and tougher laws against animal cruelty.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://forumvoordemocratie.nl/standpunten/dierenwelzijn-milieu|title=Dierenwelzijn & milieu|publisher=Forum voor Democratie|access-date=7 April 2020}}</ref> In the spring of 2019, the party, endorsing a [[climate change denial]]ist platform, intensively campaigned against large state investments in [[renewable energy]], leading to a victory in the provincial elections.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2019/02/23/de-ongemakkelijke-feitentwist-van-thierry-baudet-a3655130 |title=De ongemakkelijke 'feitentwist' van Thierry Baudet |last1=de Witt Wijnen |first1=Philip |date=23 February 2019 |work=NRC |access-date=16 May 2019 |last2=Rutten |first2=Rik |language=nl}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=den Hartog |first1=Tobias |title=Baudet moet de Wilders worden die wél levert |url=https://www.ad.nl/politiek/baudet-moet-de-wilders-worden-die-wel-levert~abaf605b/ |access-date=17 April 2019 |work=AD |date=6 March 2019 |language=nl-NL}}</ref> Later that year, it also supported protests by Dutch farmers against enforcing legislation on nitrogen emissions.
===Society and culture===
FvD supports [[high culture]]. It argues for the protection of Dutch culture and "European classical music, art and knowledge." It is critical of modern architecture, calling for both new government buildings to be constructed in a [[Neoclassical architecture|neoclassical]] style and for city planning that "fits within a historical view." FvD also supports the establishment of a commission to protect historic monuments from destruction, wants [[Frysk]] to be retained as a second state language, calls for schools to teach about "beautiful things that the West has produced" and supports free museum admission for all Dutch citizens.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fvd.nl/kunst-cultuur-en-erfgoed|title=Kunst, cultuur en erfgoed|website=Forum voor Democratie}}</ref> However, the party has also promoted plans to defund and privatize the [[Nederlandse Publieke Omroep (organization)|Nederlandse Publieke Omroep]], a Dutch public broadcasting organization.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://forumvoordemocratie.nl/petities/sanering-npo|title=Sanering Publieke Omroep|publisher=Forum voor Democratie|access-date=14 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170315000845/https://forumvoordemocratie.nl/petities/sanering-npo|archive-date=15 March 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>