The small Christian Union party has lashed out at its senior coalition partner the Christian Democrats and other parties on the right of centre. Party leader André Rouvoet says t he Christian Democrat party, the biggest political grouping of the country, risks losing its credibility as a real Christian party.

He also says conservative VVD and extreme rightwing Freedom Party are abusing the notion of "Judeo-Christian values" to promote a narrow nationalism.

The junior partner in the governing three-party coalition is making itself heard on the eve of the European elections. Having acted behind the scenes as a mediator during the recent balancing act over an economic contingency plan, the Christian Union is now polishing up its profile, possibly hoping to attract voters on 4 June 2009. The party currently has two MEPs. 

Party leader and Youth Affairs Minister André Rouvoet used a newspaper interview to assess the moral values of other parties. Not just those of the opposition, but those of coalition partner and co-religionists Christian Democrat CDA as well. Talking to Trouw daily, Mr Rouvoet criticised CDA over its refusal to accept the appointment of a Muslim army chaplain. Mr Rouvoet said, 

"The freedoms that protect the Christian religion should also be defended on behalf of other religions, irrespective of the issue. Be it the founding of schools, the building of places of worship, or the appointment of chaplains. In such matters of principle, true Christian politics should avoid populism and opportunism."

Army imam
The bone of contention was the appointment of imam Ali Eddaoudi as an army chaplain. The religious needs of Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Humanists and Hindus in the army are already catered for, but the growing number of Muslim soldiers had no-one to turn to for their spiritual needs. Ali Eddaoui's candidacy for the post raised eyebrows in the Lower House of parliament because of his early radicalism. Mr Eddaoui later apologised and had a successful career with the Justice ministry as a religious counsellor for Muslim prisoners. CDA, conservative VVD and Geert Wilders' Freedom Party opposed a proposal by Deputy Minister of Defence Jack de Vries to appoint Mr Eddaoui, but were one vote short to thwart him.

Love thy neighbour
The arguments used by VVD and Freedom Party were "facile and populist", Mr Rouvoet said in the interview.

"Using the notion of Judeo-Christian values just to attack the identity of certain groups, denying others the very freedoms they want for themselves, shows a lack of understanding of the essence of Judeo-Christian thought, which is: love thy neighbour."

On internet forums and the Trouw website, people voiced criticism of Mr Rouvoet's call for "bridge builders and peacemakers" in society. Some of the respondents accused the Christian Union of failing to build bridges with gays and lesbians. Others rejected the intrusion of religion into politics, reminding Mr Rouvoet that separation of church and state is prescribed in the Dutch constitution.