Conservatives in Holland have said all children must learn the national anthem and stand “respectfully” when singing it at school.
This is the latest policy to be advanced in an increasingly nationalistic debate gripping the country as it prepares for a general election next week.
Geert Wilders, who heads the anti-Muslim Freedom Party (PVV), is leading polls ahead of the prime minister Mark Rutte, of the liberal VVD party.
Now Sybrand Buma (pictured far right), of the third-placed conservative Christian Democrats, has tried to match their traditional messages with the anthem proposal.
Wilders has transformed Dutch politics in recent months, forcing mainstream parties to toughen their stance on immigration, race and religion. Rutte even said recently that immigrants must integrate or leave the country.
In an interview with De Telegraf newspaper, Buma praised the Dutch national anthem, Het Wilhelmus, as the “oldest and most beautiful in the world” saying: “We want to see respect for the national anthem. Young people should be taught respect for the king and queen. It is not at all obvious that children learn the national anthem today. Once, we learnt the national anthem. And when it was sung, we stood up.”
Despite leading the polls, Wilders is considered unlikely to become the Dutch premier, with no big mainstream party wanting to support him in a coalition government. It is thought more likely that either Rutte or Buma will emerge victorious with the help of some smaller left-wing parties.