DWARSe politician of 2018: Sigrid Kaag

DWARS, the youth organisation of GroenLinks, has named Sigrid Kaag as DWARSe Politician of the Year 2018. "We present this award annually to a politician who continued to stand for the good cause against the grain," said DWARS president Julia Matser.

DWARS is also organising an alternative public award for Politician of the Year at the same time, as the nominees for the EenVandaag award were all men. Sigrid Kaag is also up for election in this alternative election, but she already has her first prize on behalf of DWARS.

Kaag, minister for foreign trade and development cooperation, receives the award for her Abel Herzberg lecture, in which she spoke out about divisiveness and rising populism. In haar lecture she called for a clearer rebuttal to the "noise of the voice of fear".

Her call not to "silently look away" is something DWARS finds much needed. "If we want to maintain international cooperation, we will have to stand up for it, even in times when criticism of the EU, fake news on migration and fear of terrorism dominate the debate. Cooperation is especially needed at a time when far-right movements are growing and we need to address international issues such as climate change," the GroenLinkse Youth said.

The youth organisation presents the award annually to a politician who is active for a party other than their parent party, GroenLinks. Earlier, former minister Lilianne Ploumen (PvdA) won the award for her support fund She Decides, for safe abortions and sex education.

Voting for DWARS's alternative election for Politician of the Year is still open, vote here!