A new law has been passed in the Netherlands making it legal for driving instructors to offer lessons in return for sexual favors from their clients provided the client is over 18.

Dutch politicians support the controversial ‘ride for a ride’ policy and defend its legality.

Conservative Christian Union MP Gert-Jan Segers said that the law should be illegal and moved to ban it, but his efforts met with obstacles in parliament with ministers defending the right of sex to be used as currency.

Prostitution in the Netherlands is legal with sex workers treated as self-employed who declare their income. Segers said that sexual favors in return for driving lessons meant that the state would lose out as the learners would not be declaring their sexual services.