CU members make their point at Second Chamber ceremony

Support freedom of religion

THE HAGUE – The slate of five ChristenUnie members elected to the Second Chamber started their term in office with a symbolic but silent protest in support of freedom of religion. As they took their oath of office, the five, all Protestant Christians, displayed a cross the courts had ruled earlier a transit driver in Amsterdam was not allowed to wear on the job.

The CU says that freedom of religion is coming under more and more pressure, not only abroad but also in the Netherlands. A case in point was the recent court ruling in Amsterdam, which upheld a ban on religious symbols by the Amsterdam’s public transport company GVB.

The tram driver, who lost his case against GVB, argued that the ban is discriminatory because it disallows him from wearing a crucifix while Muslim women are allowed to wear a hijab or headscarf.

The court ruled that the GVB's clothing regulations were legitimate.