Dutch political party the Christian Union and the small right-wing religious party the SGP are ending their collaboration in the European Union. The cause of the split is the SGP's policy that women should not be allowed to occupy political posts.

 
The Christian Union, a junior partner in the governing coalition in the Netherlands, and the orthodox Calvinist SGP, which holds two seats in the Dutch parliament, were negotiating to join the European Conservatives and Reformists group in the European Parliament. However, the British Conservative Party, a key member of the group, insists that the SGP must change its stance on women in politics if it is to be admitted to the group.

The SGP sees male superiority over women as having a biblical basis, and does not allow its female members to occupy official posts. The party says that they could never make concessions about their opinion on the role of women. A party spokesman said "the SGP chooses its own ideas, nobody else".
 
Talks broke down after the SGP refused to alter its position. The party will continue operating independently in the European Parliament. The SGP says it feels let down by the more moderate Christian Union, which will join the Conservatives. The two parties have collaborated with one another in the context of the EU for the past 25 years. In the last European elections, the CU and the SGP presented a joint list of candidates.