For God's sake, Netherlands!

#106

My Dear Friend of Democracy, 

You may have already heard it: after almost six months, four right-wing Dutch parties agreed to form a coalition government last week.

Far-right Dutch firebrand Geert Wilders announced that he and the leaders of three right-wing parties have finally reached an agreement on forming a coalition government.

In November last year, Wilders' Party for Freedom (PVV) won a shock victory – taking 37 of the parliament's 150 seats – but was unable to form a government.

Now, three other parties have agreed to form a coalition with him. It will include outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte's liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, Pieter Omtzigt's conservative New Social Contract (NSC) and the populist Farmer-Citizen Movement (BBB).

This is what the coalition agreed on:

• A stricter asylum policy, means, among other things, a so-called "opt-out" option for EU asylum decisions, which could lead to sending migrants back to neighbouring countries like Germany. 

• Significant savings on state-financed television

• The end to ambitious environmental plans to reduce CO2

• Preventing any EU expansion

At least the U-turn in support of Ukraine was not included in the coalition program. Apparently, the coalition partners have ensured that there is no longer any talk of speaking in favour of Putin's war of aggression, which Wilders had, in a way, spoken of.

One could say this is democracy.

One could say this really is a fucked-up government programme. 

At least, the Netherlands is a stable democracy. The Dutch will be able to decide at the next election whether they want to continue this policy.

See you in Europe,

Johannes