The first broadcast debate of the provincial election campaign focused on national issues with education cuts, public transport privatisation and Muslim headscarves centre stage, according to media reports.

The debate, broadcast by Nos radio, is the first of a string of debates featuring party and campaign leaders ahead of the March 2 vote.
The results in the provincial elections will determine the make-up of the upper house of parliament or senate. The government and alliance partner PVV are hoping to win a majority of seats.

Education
D66 leader Alexander Pechtold and Emile Roemer of the Socialist Party used the debate to attack the minority government’s cuts in spending on higher education.
‘We have a crisis in our knowledge economy but the prime minister is posing in a wind-proof jacket on the A2 motorway to promote a higher speed limit,’ Pechtold said.
The VVD Liberals launched their campaign on Saturday on a stretch of motorway where the speed limit is soon to be increased to 130 kph.
And Labour leader Job Cohen attacked the anti-Islam PVV for doing a u-turn on public transport privatisation. ‘You have dropped the bus drivers like a brick,’ Cohen said to Michiel de Graaf, campaign leader for the anti-Islam PVV in the senate.
The PVV reversed an election pledge and voted in favour of forcing Rotterdam, The Hague and Amsterdam to put their bus, tram and metro services out to tender as part of its agreement to support the minority government.
Opression
De Graaf made his national debut in Sunday’s debate. During the discussion, he repeated the party’s call for a ban on Muslim headscarves, saying the issue is a symbol of female oppression.
‘Let your hair blow in the wind,’ the Telegraaf quoted him as saying. ‘Give women the strength to stand up to their husbands.’
The ChristenUnie and SGP did not take part in the debate because it took place on a Sunday, the traditional Christian day of rest.
On Monday, there will be a televised debate on Nederland 1 featuring the leaders of the eight biggest parties.