Politics
Pim Fortuyn List
Eerdmans first joined the Christian Democratic Appeal but left after disagreeing the CDA's course and saying in his own words "I thought they spoke a different language. I started to dislike it more and more." A week after leaving the Liveable Netherlands party in 2002, Eerdmans contacted Pim Fortuyn, who at that time was busy assembling a list of candidates for his new political party, the Pim Fortuyn List (LPF). Eerdmans was placed nineteenth on the list and after the 2002 election he became a member of the House of Representatives, while his party joined the First Balkenende cabinet. Eerdmans focused on matters related to justice and police. Together with then PvdA MP Aleid Wolfsen, he submitted a bill to punish animal cruelty more severely and argued for increasing minimum sentencing for violent crimes. In 2005, Eerdmans was awarded the Thorbecke Prize from Leiden University which is awarded to the "most eloquent politician." [2] [3]
After the fall of the cabinet, new elections were called. This time the LPF won only eight seats, but since Eerdmans was second on the list he remained in Parliament. He was removed from the party's parliamentary faction after it was definitively announced that Eerdmans would be on the One NL candidate list for the 2006 election.
One NL
For the 2006 general election, Eerdmans split with the LPF to form a new political party called One NL with Marco Pastors of Leefbaar Rotterdam. After the dismal result of One NL in the 2006 election, Eerdmans left Dutch politics and worked in business before forging a career as a television and radio broadcaster.
Leefbaar Rotterdam
Eerdmans made a return to local politics when he was elected lijsttrekker of Leefbaar Rotterdam on 6 October 2013. [4] In the local elections of 2014 Leefbaar Rotterdam became the biggest party in Rotterdam, meaning the party would get the chance to lead the formation of a new coalition. The party subsequently formed a coalition with the Democrats 66 (D66) and Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), in which Eerdmans became an alderman. [5]
Forum for Democracy
Eerdmans worked with the Forum for Democracy during the 2018 Dutch municipal elections. For the 2021 general election, Eerdmans announced a return to national politics and was to be fourth on the party list of FvD led by Thierry Baudet. However, before this could be effectuated Eerdmans quit the party soon after the announcement, citing what he saw as the FvD's insufficient handling of antisemitism, homophobia and racism scandals from other party members. [6]
JA21
After leaving the Forum for Democracy, Joost Eerdmans founded a new political party, JA21 (Right Answer 2021), together with other former FvD members to contest the 2021 general election. Eerdmans stated that he sought to revive Fortuynism in Dutch politics and said JA21 would follow the original founding ideas of the FvD. [7] He described JA21 as a "a broad people's party on the right" and a "common sense" right-wing party positioned to attract voters who considered the VVD too centrist, the PVV too harsh in tone, and the Forum for Democracy as having become directionless. [8] Eerdmans became the party’s leader and lijsttrekker .
In the 2021 election, JA21 won three seats in the House of Representatives, returning Eerdmans to the House of Representatives for the first time since 2006. During the 2023 Dutch general election JA21 fell to one seat with Eerdmans being the only JA21 MP to return. In September 2024, the House passed a motion by Eerdmans and Chris Stoffer (SGP) to prohibit face coverings during protests, intended to aid police in identifying individuals committing offenses, citing the 2024 pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses in the Netherlands as an example. [9]
The House later approved another motion by Eerdmans requesting that the government revoke the charitable status of the environmental group Extinction Rebellion, arguing that the organization’s activities were unlawful and disruptive. [10]
When the Schoof cabinet introduced its 2025 budget proposal, which included €2 billion in education cuts, Eerdmans collaborated with other centrist and conservative opposition parties in what he referred to as an "unholy alliance". In December 2024, the coalition agreed to reverse €750 million of the planned cuts to secure Senate support. Eerdmans declined to endorse the revised budget. JA21 saw its strongest result to date during the 2025 Dutch general election. [11] [12]
Political beliefs
Eerdmans identifies himself as a proponent of Fortuynism. His political positions include opposition to immigration, multiculturalism, and the European Union, as well as criticism of what he describes as excessive bureaucracy in the state sector. [13] He advocates for stricter law enforcement, a more right-wing approach to climate policy, and a significant reduction in the powers of the EU, including an end to financial transfers from Northern to Southern European member states. [14]
Eerdmans has stated that the Netherlands should adopt an immigration policy requiring newcomers to uphold "Dutch values", and he has expressed approval of Denmark’s immigration model. He has also criticized what he refers to as the "woke movement" in the Netherlands and has accused parties such as Denk, NIDA, and those associated with Sylvana Simons of undermining Western culture. [15] [16]
Eerdmans has said that politicians have an exemplary role and should avoid personal attacks, stating: "Those who throw mud will end up with dirty hands. I am respectful and never hit people below the belt in politics. If you do, you are sidelining yourself. Fortuyn was also a compromise-oriented macher. You should not sell your heart and soul for the plush seats, but if you get the chance to realize your ideals, then it is your duty of honor to do so for your voters." [17] [18]
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