Tilburg MP Esmah Lahlah (GroenLinks-PvdA) reacted angrily during a debate on Thursday morning to comments about her wearing a headscarf, which she also wears. In recent days, she has been called the “PvdA Headscarf” on X. The description was retweeted by Freedom Party ministers Fleur Agema and Marjolein Faber. Lahlah defended wearing the headscarf in a tough debate, after which she stormed out of the room.
Lahlah defended all the other women in our country who also wear the hijab: “It is your choice and you can achieve what you want with it.” A huge uproar ensued in the House of Representatives, after which the woman left Tilburg in a fit of emotion.
Moments earlier, D66 leader Rob Gittin had asked Prime Minister Dick Schoof not to tolerate tweets about Lahlah as “prime minister.” Gittin also asked him to look Lahlah in the eye.
Statement shared by Halah on X:
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Schoff then expressed his appreciation for Tilburg’s MP and that she had done a great job as a councillor in Brabant: “The fact that you wear the hijab makes no difference to me at all. You are just a human being to me.”
Jetten called it a “good first step.” The D66 leader said he hoped Schoff would address other cabinet members about their future behavior.
“The hijab is an expression of my identity and my faith.”
Then she spoke to Halah, despite being told by the chamber’s president, Martin Bosma, that she was not “participating in the discussion”: “In recent days the discussion has been about the hijab and alleged oppression. As a woman wearing the hijab in this room, I say: I wear this hijab and this is a personal, conscious and free choice. It is an expression of my identity, my faith, my strength and my self-determination. I will not allow anyone else to decide this. It is my body and my choice.”
“It is a symbol of strength, and I decide that for myself. And to all the girls who wear the hijab and are affected by what is happening here, by the negative images and stereotypes: Don’t let anything fool you. There are so many women who wear the hijab with pride and who hold a valuable place in this society. It is your choice and you can achieve anything you want.”
Lahlah referred, among others, to Sivan Hassan, who was mentioned in the Chouf government’s statement on Wednesday.
SP and DENK felt that the prime minister had not distanced himself sufficiently from the behaviour of his ministers on Twitter. He was accused of a cold reaction, with Stefan van Baarle (DENK) even speaking of “weakness”.
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