Members of Parliament from D66, VVD, PvdA and the Christian Union have called on media regulator Commissariaat voor de Media to strip far-right broadcaster Ongehoord Nederland (ON!) of its licence following a segment in which a guest declared “Hitler was right” to invade Poland. The appeal comes just days after the programme aired a commentary praising the Nazi leader’s actions in World War II.
The controversial broadcast, made available both online and via Dutch cable networks, triggered a wave of condemnation. Critics argue that giving a platform to extremist viewpoints violates public broadcasting standards and the country’s strict laws against hate speech and the glorification of Nazism.
- D66 MP Vera Bergkamp described the segment as “abhorrent” and demanded immediate action to prevent ON! from continuing to spread extremist ideology.
- VVD spokesperson Sophie Hermans urged the NPO’s administrative council to revoke ON!’s airtime, warning that tolerance of such views undermines democratic values.
- PvdA leader Lilianne Ploumen called the episode “an attack on our collective memory of the Holocaust” and insisted that freedom of speech must not extend to praising genocide.
- Christian Union MP Mirjam Bikker emphasised that public airwaves should not serve as a pulpit for hate, urging swift enforcement of broadcasting regulations.
The NPO’s governing council is scheduled to convene next week to discuss the MPs’ demands. In a statement, the council expressed its “deep concern” over the segment but noted that ON! operates independently under a limited licence, granted in 2019 to distribute content via cable and online platforms.
ON! has defended the programme as an exercise of free speech, arguing that it did not breach any explicit rules. The broadcaster’s director, Willem Middelkoop, accused critics of “stifling debate” and insisted that the show regularly invites controversial opinions to challenge mainstream narratives.
Meanwhile, the media regulator faces growing pressure to clarify whether ON!’s licence status can be revoked for content that, while deeply offensive, may not violate specific statutory provisions. Jewish community leaders have demanded stronger safeguards against the normalization of extremist views, warning that failure to act risks emboldening fringe movements.
As the debate intensifies, the outcome of next week’s council meeting will be closely watched for its implications on freedom of expression, the boundaries of acceptable speech in Dutch media, and the future of far-right broadcasting in the Netherlands.
