The Left was always internationalist. We wish to end the threat of war and the subordination of poor and weak states to the rich and powerful ones. We accept neither social and humanitarian inequality, nor the numerous unsolved international problems in the area of the environment, labour, transport...
It is said that the German writer Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) once remarked that if a revolution were to break out in Germany, he would flee to the Netherlands, since there everything happens fifty years later. Whereas this insight might have had some relevance in the mid 19th century, today it seems...
Recent years have seen an interminable debate in the Netherlands around social-cultural identities and very little discussion of the social-economic questions, which have a far greater influence on the lives of the vast majority of the Dutch population. Remarkably enough, the major financial crisis...
The social democratic PvdA has come out as the surprise winner of the EP elections in the Netherlands. The left Socialist Party looses its two seats and the Party for the Animals looses one seat.
Election Report 2014
Dutch politicians on both the Left and the Right who sought to make a statement by exploiting what were assumed to be high levels of dissatisfaction with the European Union and the euro were caught short by the results for the European Parliament elections in their country. In...
It is said that the German writer Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) once remarked that if a revolution were to break out in Germany, he would flee to the Netherlands, since there everything happens fifty years later. Whereas this insight might have had some relevance in the mid 19th century, today it seems...
The new populist Farmer-Citizen Movement (BBB) came out on top in March's Dutch election, but the global distribution of power in the Netherlands remains unchanged. And there will be hardly room for implementing urgent reforms, especially in the areas of climate protection and agriculture.
Given that port workers work shifts, under high pressure and in arduous working conditions, many of them are totally worn out long before they reach pensionable age – and on average they die six years earlier. Port workers need to retire earlier if they are to enjoy a healthy old age.
There are at least two stories to tell about the recent Dutch elections. The headline story is that the extreme right-wing party PVV of Wilders did not become the largest party, arriving second after the VVD of prime-minister Rutte. The more important story however is the pasocification of the Dutch labour party (PvdA), and the impotence of the so called Socialist Party to come anywhere near being an alternative.