A naturalised expat's view of Dutch life and politics
How asylum seekers and Bulgarian fraudsters threatened to tear Rutte's coalition apart
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- Category: Nicola Chadwick's politics blog
- Created on Friday, 17 May 2013 12:48
- Written by Nicola Chadwick
By Nicola Chadwick (@amsternic)
Normally a two-week recess in the Dutch Parliament would mean all is quiet in The Hague. But Mark Rutte’s cabinet has once again found itself between a rock and a hard place.
The marriage of convenience between the Liberals (VVD) and the Labour Party (PvdA) has narrowly scraped over one hurdle only to be greeted by the next. So far, the coalition partners have agreed to disagree and support each other through thick and thin. But how long can they keep it up?
Labour leader Diederik Samsom was forced to defend the coalition’s position on criminalising illegal immigrants at party meetings across the country while he personally disagreed with the measure; VVD Deputy Finance Minister Frans Weekers has had to explain to parliament why he was unaware about a huge Bulgarian fraud scam. Both have survived so far, but neither case does anything to restore waning public confidence in government.
Read more: How asylum seekers and Bulgarian fraudsters threatened to tear Rutte's coalition apart
From smoke bombs to street parties: Beatrix's legacy is a tough act for King Willem-Alexander to follow
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- Category: Nicola Chadwick's politics blog
- Created on Friday, 03 May 2013 16:12
- Written by Nicola Chadwick
By Nicola Chadwick (@amsternic)
So “the day that we knew would come” finally came, as the much debated King’s Song lyrics had predicted. Queen Beatrix gave her abdication speech and handed over to Prince Willem-Alexander. During her 33-year reign Beatrix turned the Dutch monarchy around. Her mother, Juliana, had done all she could to be as ordinary as possible. At the same time, her reign had been marred by palace scandals. She left the monarchy behind as a flimsy institution. Nevertheless Beatrix praised her mother as head of state.
As queen, Beatrix increased the distance between herself and her subjects. She choose to base herself in what she called her working palace Noordeinde in The Hague, giving her an aura of power that she did not in reality possess. Beatrix’s best move was turning Queen’s Day from a parade in front of Soestdijk Palace into a popular people’s celebration. Under Juliana’s reign, the people marched before the monarch on Queen’s Day, whereas Beatrix went to the people. Her unannounced visit to Amsterdam’s Jordaan district in 1988 and a kiss on the cheek from a passer-by changed attitudes to the aloof monarch forever. At last she had won over her subjects.
Big noise about a royal song obscures the mystery of the silent republicans
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- Category: Nicola Chadwick's politics blog
- Created on Friday, 26 April 2013 21:20
- Written by Nicola Chadwick
By Nicola Chadwick (@amsternic)
When a harmless song commissioned for the inauguration of King Willem-Alexander came out last week there was a national outcry. In just a couple of hours a storm of criticism had broken loose on Twitter, an internet petition against the song was launched and media critics had a field day. Within 48 hours songwriter John Ewbank felt compelled to withdraw his composition, only for the National Inauguration Committee to reinstate it a few days later.
Compared to the outburst over a song, the total absence of criticism of the Dutch royals themselves is perplexing. According to a survey published in Dutch newspaper Trouw, 75% percent of the public want to see the monarchy continue. But what kind of monarchy do they want? A survey by pollster Maurice de Hond last year showed that the public is split 50/50 over whether it wants the monarchy to remain as it is or to become a ceremonial monarchy.
Read more: Big noise about a royal song obscures the mystery of the silent republicans
