Party of pedophiles
The week's news at a glance.
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.”
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to 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.
-
'Alligator Alcatraz will be a blight on the Everglades'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Kirsty Coventry: the former Olympian and first woman to lead the IOC
In the Spotlight Coventry, a former competitive swimmer, won two Olympic gold medals
-
Critics' choice: Carrying the flag
Feature The best barbecue in town, Bradley Cooper's cheesesteak restaurant, and more