Dutch lawmaker Sidney Smeets, from the center-left D66 party, resigned from parliament Thursday over allegations of grooming as well as making unwanted advances and sexually inappropriate behavior.
The party said Wednesday it had opened an internal investigation into the allegations after a number of young men said they had received messages from the 45-year-old on social media and dating sites. Some of the men alleged they were not 18 years of age at the time the messages were sent.
“Several people state that they have experienced contact with me as undesirable. As I also said yesterday, I was very shocked about that, because it was never my intention,†Smeets said in a statement publicly announcing his resignation. Without admitting wrongdoing, he said he was stepping down so that the accusations would not harm his party or the parliament.
Smeets, a lawyer, was one of 24 D66 members elected to parliament in recent elections.
Party leader Sigrid Kaag said she “fully respects and supports†the decision.
