A 27-year-old hijabi Muslim activist has won a seat in the Dutch parliament, overcoming a hateful Islamophobic and racist campaign.
“Wow. We did it. Despite everything, thanks to everything,” Kauthar Bouchallikht wrote on Twitter.
The climate activist added she will work for “equality and justice. Hope over hate. Together”, The New Arab reported.
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Bouchallikht, who is of Moroccan heritage, will represent the GroenLinks (Green Left) party in parliament.
According to local media sources, she received more than 19,000 votes.
In a 2020 interview with Dutch GLAMOUR, Bouchallikht explained that many in the Netherlands “tend to associate my religion with terrorism and negativity” and are often surprised to see a Muslim involved in climate activism.
“I believe that the Earth is given to us by God and that we should take good care of it,” she said.
Islam is the second-largest religion in the Netherlands, practiced by 4% of the population according to 2010–11 estimates.
Most reside in the nation’s four major cities, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht.
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