Amsterdam
The Netherlands has a new political party devoted to legalizing sex with 12-year-olds. The Charity, Freedom, and Diversity Party, which registered this week, wants to legalize bestiality and child pornography, while lowering the age of sexual consent from 16 to 12. “A ban just makes children curious,” said party founder Ad van den Berg. “We want to make pedophilia a subject for discussion.” Children’s advocates were appalled. “They make out as if they want more rights for children,” anti-pedophile campaigner Ireen van Engelen told Amsterdam’s Allgemeen Dagblad. “But their position that children should be allowed sexual contact from age 12 is of course just in their own interest.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Did Cop30 fulfil its promise to Indigenous Brazilians?Today’s Big Question Brazilian president approves 10 new protected territories, following ‘unprecedented’ Indigenous presence at conference, both as delegates and protesters
-
The best Christmas theatre shows across the UKThe Week Recommends Tip-top festive ballets, plays and comedies to book up now
-
Crossword: November 20, 2025The daily crossword from The Week
