Photo Province of Groningen Gouke Moes, a member of the Provincial Executive in Groningen, will become the new Education Minister, BBB announced on Monday evening. Moes stirred controversy with tweets about a defaced rainbow zebra crossing.
With the departure of Eppo Bruins and other NSC ministers, the two remaining coalition parties VVD and BBB were left to find replacements for the vacant ministerial posts. Gouke Moes, 33, will take charge at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.
‘An honour’
Moes has been a member of the Provincial Executive in Groningen since March this year. He previously worked as a blacksmith and machinist, before moving into education, teaching English, engineering, physics and chemistry. He also taught manufacturing, installation and energy.
In 2021, he entered politics with BBB and in 2023 he joined the Provincial Council in Groningen, becoming party chair. A few months ago, he became a member of the Provincial Executive. He is now set to move to The Hague, where he will serve as caretaker Minister of Education, Culture and Science.
In a statement issued by BBB, Moes calls it a great honour ‘to fulfil this role on behalf of our education, culture and science.’ He added, ‘Education is close to my heart, shaped by years of experience as a teacher, and I can’t wait to get started.’
Rainbow zebra crossing
A year ago, Moes tweeted as follows about a rainbow zebra crossing that was defaced with swastikas: ‘That’s how polarisation works. Too bad, a pity on both sides.’
When someone on X asked which two sides he was referring to, he replied: ‘The side that came up with the idea of putting a rainbow zebra crossing there, without any regard whatsoever for how it might be perceived by many young people (perhaps even provoking their views), and the side that then countered by daubing it with swastikas.’
His remarks were not well received by many. ‘His comment struck us as equating the symbol of equality, the rainbow, with a symbol of hatred, the swastika’, wrote GroenLinks, CDA, Socialistische Partij, Partij voor de Dieren, Volt, PvdA, Partij vóór het Noorden and D66 in a joint statement issued by these political groups in the Provincial Council. ‘We are shocked by this comment and disassociate ourselves from it.’
Understand
Moes himself denied comparing the rainbow symbol to the swastika. ‘What I do say, though, is that if you want to move beyond polarisation, you must try to understand other people. I just wondered whether this is the best way to counter polarisation, or the best way to advance the LGBTIAQ+ movement. And I think it’s sad that people are so far apart that something like this can happen.’
GroenLinks-PvdA MP Lisa Westerveld has already announced that she will submit parliamentary questions following Moes’s nomination as minister. For the record, State Secretary Mariëlle Paul is responsible for emancipation policy.
