For the past year and a half, Ter Horst has been the administrative driver of the Unlimited Participation Programme at VWS. In this role, her goal is to make society accessible to people with disabilities and to ensure the implementation of the UN Convention on Disability.

‘no trust’

“Administrative leadership is a secret function. You have to have the confidence of the minister, but also vice versa.” Ter Horst does not want to work with Freedom Party Minister Fleur Agema and State Minister Vicki Meijer, because they represent a party “with which she has no connection at all.”

The Freedom Party’s positions that Ter Horst dislikes include: “de-Islamization” of the Netherlands, the fight against refugees, and Brexit. “I can’t imagine sitting at the table with someone like that without getting into a heated argument within five minutes. I can’t be effective in that role anymore.”

‘Be honest with yourself’

Ter Horst cannot defend himself from working with the Freedom Party. “I always say: be honest with yourself“But that’s a decision everyone has to make for themselves,” she believes. “I also understand that not everyone can afford this.” Ter Horst says she will continue to work for people with disabilities, even if it’s in a different place.