AMSTERDAM – The Dutch parliament has rejected a bid to scrap the prohibition on blasphemy. The motion was drawn up by MP Lousewies van der Laan of the small government party D66 last week. The move was a response to an announcement by Justice Minister Piet Hein Donner that he planned to strengthen the blasphemy law. Initially Van der Laan’s motion seemed to have majority support. Only Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende’s Christian Democrats and two small religious parties opposed it.
