PROTEST is the youth wing of Progressief Nederland (PRO), the new party formed through the merger of PvdA (PES) and GroenLinks (European Greens), which is currently leading national opinion polls.
European Green Party Co-chair Ciarán Cuffe congratulates the young European Greens with their new Dutch member: “We are delighted the young Dutch activists of PROTEST have chosen to join the family of young European Greens as full members, and we are sure they will bring great value to our youth organisation.”
“We also hope that PRO members will follow the lead of their youth organisation and choose the Green family, where members from all backgrounds, whether Socialist or Green, will be welcome, so that PRO and PROTEST remain connected in the same European political family. It’s only by bringing together red and green progressives, and young and older generations, that we will win the existential fights against climate breakdown, increasing inequalities and the far right,” Ciarán Cuffe said.
Members of Progressief Nederland have been voting since 18 September and can vote until 25 September. They are choosing which European family they will join: the PES or the European Green Party.
Former PvdA minister Jan Pronk, together with former PvdA youth President, Boyd Angenent, said they hope PRO will join the European Greens in Dutch newspaper Trouw. With this statement they joined local eldermen, former MP's and many other younger and older PRO-members who spoke out in favor of joining the Greens.
Background
The PvdA (member of the Party of European Socialists, PES) and GroenLinks (founding member of the European Green Party) have merged into Progressief Nederland (PRO) in 2026. Their respective youth wings, Jong Socialisten and DWARS, merged into PROTEST, the official youth wing of Progressief Nederland.
European Green Party Press contact: Tom Zoete - Senior Press Officer - tom.zoete@europeangreens.eu - WhatsApp/Signal +32 497 04 27 96 - EN, FR, ES, NL
