elections
Reporting politics: The urge to score
September’s elections killed a lot of birds with one stone. Extremist parties on the left and right were decimated, consensus politics was restored to the centre of Dutch life, and anti-euro sentiment was put firmly in its place. Sobriety at last. The media played a major role. It has turned into the king-maker of The Netherlands. We’ve become used to... Read More »
Where is Bill Clinton?
This weekend’s announcement of Paul Ryan as Governor Romney’s running mate for the 2012 election demonstrates the fear that this year’s Republican nominee has about the strength of his right wing base. Simply put, Romney is an unattractive candidate to the ever important hard right in American politics. Former governor of left leaning Massachusetts, formerly pro-choice, sponsor of a... Read More »Test case
The upcoming elections will be fought over Europe. To be more precise: it will be fought over the level of influence ‘Brussels’ has in the political circles of The Hague, the level of The Netherlands’ contribution to solving Europe’s enormous economic problems, and the budgetary rules for member states agreed years ago, partly under pressure from The Netherlands. If it’s... Read More »
Roemer (SP) meets Bolivian president
Socialist party front-man Emile Roemer met with far left Bolivian president Evo Morales this morning on the latter’s request. A SP spokesman noted the SP’s current leading position in the polls, their correlating ideologies and it’s involvement with Bolivia in the past as the main motives for the ‘get- together’. Roemer stated that the meeting was worthwhile en that... Read More »
D66 backs Europe
D66 front man Alexander Pechtold doubles down on ‘Europe’ in spite of the negative sentiments. Pechtold argues that integration of Europe will enhance the continents position in the global competition with superpowers such as China, Brazil, Russia and the United States. It will be the ”era of the continents” the minister predicted on Dutch television program Buitenhof. In contrast w… Read More »
Socialist Party; “bad for business”
The socialist party’s plans for the Netherlands will prove disastrous for trade and industry according to MKB (medium to small business) chairman Hans Biesheuvel. “When subjected to close scrutiny, it is evident that SP’s plans will lead to even more tax increases for entrepreneurs, which will discourage businesses in the Netherlands.” Biesheuvel told Dutch news paper ‘de Telegraaf’. According… Read More »
Van Haersma Buma new CDA frontman
Sybrand van Haersma Buma is the new front man of the Christian Democrats (CDA). He was elected yesterday with 51.4% of the votes in a party membership ballot. The runner up and Van Hearsma Buma’s main competitor, Mona Keijzer, a town councillor from Purmerend, received 26.4 % of the votes, which was not enough to force a second ballot. Despite running... Read More »
New elections set to take place in...
The Rutte administration has officially collapsed and all hope of reconciliation has sailed. Queen Beatrix has requested the outgoing governing parties to dissolve the cabinet as soon as possible as to start preparations for the new elections on the 12th of September. The Dutch government information service made it public last night in negotiations with the Royal House and the... Read More »
