Muslim candidate runs obscure campaign for office

Only seeks support in mosques

THE HAGUE - A Muslim woman who is running for a seat on the provincial estate in South Holland does not want to be interviewed or have her picture taken. She only campaigns in mosques.

Ouafaa Abrazi is the only woman on the slate for the Islam Democrats in her province. Turkish party leader Hasan Kucuk confirms that the woman does not want to be interviewed and has not authorized her party to release her phone number to anyone. According to Kucuk she does not want to appear in public either.

Abrazi campaigns only within her own circle, the women she knows in the mosque. If she is elected, it will be another matter, since the estate sessions are almost always public, Kucuk noted.

The Islam Democrats won one seat on The Hague city council, last year. The party supported an initiative of Islamic women for a segregated swimming pool for men and women. Conservative (VVD) councilor Sander Dekker who holds the Sport portfolio still is investigating the viability of the idea.