Verdonk Who founded Proud of the Netherlands?, Rita Verdonk, a former Dutch politician, was the founder of the political party “Trots op Nederland” (TON). This party was founded in 2007, after Verdonk was expelled from the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) due to a dispute within the party.
Rita Verdonk had played a prominent role in Dutch politics as Minister of Immigration and Integration. Her firm stance on immigration and integration made her popular with part of the population. In 2007, she decided to create her own political party to further spread her ideas and visions.
“Proud of the Netherlands” was founded with the promise to preserve and strengthen Dutch values, standards and traditions. The party strove for a stricter immigration policy and better integration of newcomers into Dutch society.
Although “Trots op Nederland” received strong support in the 2006 elections, the party failed to win the following elections. After a disappointing result in the 2010 parliamentary elections, Verdonk decided to retire from politics, after which the party slowly fell into oblivion.
The political landscape in the Netherlands has always been dynamic, with many parties emerging and disappearing. Although ‘Proud of the Netherlands’ no longer plays a prominent role in Dutch politics, Rita Verdonk left a lasting impression as a politician who stood up for her beliefs and followed her own political path.