English
Welcome to the website of SGP Rotterdam. This subpage contains concise information about this Christian political party in English. 'SGP' is the abbreviation of Political Reformed Party.
Our slogan for the upcoming municipal elections is: ‘Christian in values. Reliable in actions.’ We would like to draw particular attention to the following five key points.
1. Safety for everyone
The SGP wants everyone, especially women, children and members of the Jewish community in Rotterdam, to feel safe. On the streets and on the internet.
2. Caring for the vulnerable
The SGP wants to offer help to vulnerable people, especially families living in poverty, lonely elderly people and young people, those with unplanned pregnancies, homeless people and people with misunderstood behaviour.
3. More space for rest
The SGP wants there to be more space for rest in busy city life, especially on Sundays. 'Keep Sunday Special'.
4. Housing for people and churches
The SGP wants more housing for families, students and elderly people, as well as more accommodation for church communities.
5. Keep taxes low
The SGP wants the city council to be economical with the money that citizens and businesses contribute, so that this money does not go to expensive prestige projects.
Are you eligible to vote? Please don't throw away your voting pass, but go to the ballot box and vote on Wednesday March 18th. Choose one of the SGP candidates (list 19).
Do you have any questions? Please submit them via the contact form. You may also submit your question in English.
History and message SGP
The Rotterdam branch of the SGP (Political Reformed Party) was founded in 1922, on November 10th. It has now been active in our port city for over 100 years. As a political party, we are known as a beacon of stability.
Has nothing changed in all those years? Of course it has, because new social issues require new answers. Yet we remain recognisable at our core: the SGP's anchor point is always the Bible. After all, the Word of God was given for the salvation of mankind. But Scripture is also a normative guide for human life and coexistence within society.
The SGP therefore adheres to its fundamental Christian message. The value we attach to Dutch history also remains recognisable. The party continues to stand up for a great Dutch asset: freedom of conscience. In addition, we draw attention to the salutary necessity of regular rest. City life is very busy, but the economy cannot always keep going, otherwise people become slaves to money. Hence our plea for Sunday rest. Nature will also benefit from this.
Families first!
Relationships between people are of great importance. Human beings are not created for or suited to loneliness. Families form the backbone of society. Broken relationships cause a great deal of suffering, damage and also poverty. We pay attention to and care for this, especially for children.
Pro-life
Protecting life is one of the primary tasks of the government. SGP Rotterdam calls for particular attention to be paid to the protection of unborn children. Abortion rates have been rising in recent years. This is due to government policy that offers virtually no protection to unborn life. Unfortunately, the municipality of Rotterdam cannot change national policy. But as residents of Rotterdam, we can certainly do something about this grievous injustice. We do not want to condemn women with unwanted pregnancies, but rather offer them proper help and solid support. Many women who have abortions struggle with poverty, unstable relationships, lack of education and a weak social network. This makes it very difficult to make a well-considered choice. That is why the SGP wants to organise structural assistance by setting up a Rotterdam Mother and Child Fund, providing better information and decision-making support, and investing more in the prevention of unwanted pregnancies. The SGP also advocates priority housing for (underage) pregnant women and their partners.
Be alert to radical individualism and Islam
SGP Rotterdam emphasises the importance of a democratic legal order rooted in Christian political traditions, Roman law and humanism. Democracy is more than “the majority decides”; minorities must also be protected. In Rotterdam, we see two fundamental challenges: there is a growing desire for even more individual freedom without limits, and there is the increasing influence of radical Islam with its religious laws and community structures. Both developments put pressure on the Christian values that form the foundation of our democratic legal order. The SGP therefore advocates a resilient democracy, strong citizenship education and attention to the Holocaust in all schools. Furthermore, we do not want iftar meals in the town hall, no amplified calls to prayer in the city, and we advocate strong action against hate preachers, radicalisation and ideas that undermine our democratic legal order.
Finally
Even though we have been active for more than a hundred years, we remain relevant, active and up to date. We stand up for Christian values. And we are committed to reliable policy. That's in the interest of all inhabitants of Rotterdam!
Support our fully Christian voice for reliable policies. Vote on March 18th for list 19: SGP.
