The amazing prospect of Balkenende V

Balkenende IV collapses

I woke up yesterday morning to the news story on Al-Jazeera television that the Dutch cabinet had collapsed

Though we have had the same Prime Minister [2] since 2002 that was the collapse of the fourth coalition cabinet though this one lasted the longest.

The very obvious and challenging thing to realise is the politics of the Netherlands has changed irretrievably over the last decade from the traditions we have all learnt built the Netherlands into a country of global influence and economic clout.

The dyke collapses

Somehow, I am afraid that the thinking that allowed the Dutch to grab land from the sea for form the land mass we now have in the time worn fashion of the Polder Model [3] of consensus and compromise towards agreement has departed.

In political terms, we have had the equivalent of a dyke-break, I cannot find any outward thinking or celebrated act of statesmanship in the political landscape that has caused the collapse of all the four cabinets.

Rather, political infighting to self-destruction on such matters of local import looking for some political advantage in possible elections have bedevilled the system.

An ambiguous electorate

It goes without saying that we have the governments we choose and we have generally elected conservatives balanced by liberals and augmented by populist extremists, the last cabinet however was an uneasy grand-coalition of conservatives, the centre-left and an orthodox religious party – I thought it was a powder-keg, it only had a very long fuse.

In 2002, the cabinet of Wim Kok [4] dissolved in taking the possible responsibility for the Srebrenica massacre, this cabinet fell on the possibility of extending the tenure of Dutch troops in the NATO alliance in Afghanistan – they basically could not agree on the matter.

Our NATO commitment

Just less than 2,000 troops is not necessarily a significant number in Afghanistan and we do have a somewhat quiet existence there as opposed to the South of Afghanistan but we had been promised the troops will return this summer.

Not to mention the erstwhile Secretary General of NATO was Dutch, so we have a significant and influential member of that coalition pulling out with some consequences and hopefully not too damaging.

Generally, many would prefer that the war in Afghanistan come to an end with all our troops back home, which for me also includes the British troops but we cannot afford to leave a quagmire in that region, I am saddened that if that venture does yield results the footnote the Dutch might attain could be closer to ignominious by reason of little-country politics.

However, with the change of tactics in pursuing the war in Afghanistan there was a need to reconsider the pullback as part of the Dutch contribution, between the parliament and the within the coalition partners there was no agreement leading the Labour Party to withdraw from the coalition because they were against the extension.

Some fearful possibilities

Now, Prime Minister Balkenende might have the opportunity of forming another cabinet, the fifth – it really beggars belief, in July 2006, I wrote No to Balkenende III [4], I cannot believe I am looking at a possible Balkenende V.

I would suppose Jan Peter Balkenende does have some political savvy for holding on for so long even though his Calvinist inclinations might well reflect why he is somewhat invisible and some policies are parsimonious – but with another election the only worse thing that could happen is to have people be persuaded by the vitriolic rhetoric of Geert Wilders [6], the fact is he could be the next Prime Minister.

Sources

[1] Al Jazeera English - Europe - Dutch cabinet falls over Afghan row

[2] Jan Peter Balkenende - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[3] Polder Model - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[4] Wim Kok - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[5] No to Balkenende III [akin.blog-city.com]

[6] Geert Wilders - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [1] and I was not that surprised.

No voting advice for our Dear Dutch Leader

Tell me who

The Dutch political season in readiness for the November 22^nd elections continues apace with the launch of StemWijzer (Dutch). StemWijzer is an online voters’ advisory that poses questions to the participant to help them determine if they are conservative, liberal, libertarian, socialist, communist or whatever political shade you might be, it now has a more European outlook called VoteMatch.

Then it advises on which of the 26 or so parties the participant should vote for at election, offering second and third choices depending on how the questions are answered.

As I have lamented before, our Western democracies are failing because of the failure of education and the lack of understanding of how to read party policies and ideologies and how to match that with personal political slant and thinking.

People think they are liberal and end up being classified as intolerant and right-wing, some who are right-wing end up in another political spectrum, how does one begin to appreciate ones political temperament and convert that into an effective democratic voice?

Bad system or lacking an ideology

Worse still is when StemWijzer cannot offer an opinion as what party you can vote for, when this happens to the person who has been Prime Minister of the Netherlands for the past four years, questions should be asked.

The Prime Minister is leader of the right of centre CDA, which would be nominally conservative, could it be that Stemwijzer is seriously flawed or we have a leadership without an ideology?

I do not have to answer that question because the Prime Minister himself says and I quote, “StemWijzer provided good support for people in making a well-motivated choice”. But for some reason, StemWijzer could not even find a neutral or nonchalant choice for our Dear Leader.

Other leaders like the leader of the Liberal party (VVD) was advised to vote for the progressive-liberal D66. The leader of the Labour Party (PVDA) however, was true to his party and ideology – he probably should be the next Prime Minister of the Netherlands.

References

Dutch election news - Part I

No to Balkenende III

Balkenende III must not be conceived

The whole idea that the Queen of the Netherlands has assigned the task of reviving the dead duck government of Jan Pieter Balkenende in a reincarnation that would be known as Balkenende III fills me with uncomfortable dread.

The whole premise of the fall of this government seems to have been lost in some royal prerogative which one thinks should have better exercised in ridding the government of the bale of Mrs Verdonk rather than seeking a view to create a minority government.

If Ruud Lubbers, a former Prime Minister of the erstwhile ruling CDA party, whose most recent public showing was a resignation from a high profile UN posting on alleged charges of sexual harassment should succeed, I would expect the parliament to accede to a vote of no confidence in Balkenende III - We desperately need change, not a stitch-up.

Lacking in judgment and relevance

My primary concern surrounds the general belief in consensus politics in the Netherlands where it is difficult, if not impossible, for politicians who exact greater standards of their electorate to claim responsibility for their faults almost to the point of being unaccountable even though they are quick to earn accolades for “success”.

Mrs Verdonk has at least 6 times had to appear before parliament to explain her actions in the controversial and volatile portfolio of Minister of Integration and Immigration. She has allegedly abused her office and over-reached her remit in ways that have brought serious concerns though difficult to assess objectively because of the populist nature of some of those actions.

However, the simple case for consideration is that this Ms Ayaan Hirsi Ali was inadvertently removed from parliament by someone with ministerial powers but has never been validated by an electorate.

A travesty of Democracy

The government which also has an electoral mandate till May 2007 also allowed itself to fall on a consensus that does not a represent an equality of partnership. Mrs Verdonk is a junior non-elected minister in the Justice Department, no matter how high-profile immigration has become in Europe.

What Mr Jan Pieter Balkenende has allowed is a travesty of democracy by not selecting ministers that can have the magnanimity to assume responsibility and take the rap on the one hand, and by his not having enough leadership acumen and disposition to address the issue in the broader context of our electoral franchise and Mrs Verdonk's insignificance in that respect.

This government is supposed to have a major legislative agenda concerning Afghanistan and the budget, but all that paled into quagmire of the irresolute apology for governance that Balkenende I & Balkenende II have come to represent.

A centre-right government that is soporifically docile, every news item of importance sits in the realms of extremists - they were precariously aided the lurch to intolerance that was becoming evident in the Netherlands.

To imagine that the CDA/VVD partnership can go back to the electorate and be rewarded for this utter lack of sense of occasion and responsibility would be too hurtful to contemplate.

Only one thing would suffice a caretaker government till November when we can really reward these legless leaders with a worthy retirement.

The Dutch government collapses around Mrs Verdonk

Just How?

How can the machinations geared to win the leadership election of a coalition partner in a ruling government through the denying of one citizen her right to citizenship lead to the collapse of a government?

How can the row over the position of a junior minister in the Ministry of Justice bring down a governing coalition in just one day?

How does the unreasonable adherence to rules lead to the situation that we no more have people in rulership?

How can the inordinate desire to safe face override the greater desire to depart for the good of all at large?

A liability that is now liable

Only yesterday, I said that Mrs Verdonk was too much of a liability she had to go, and now rather than go, she has pulled down the government with her, they resign tomorrow, if the Queen accepts the decision.

The D66 Party, a junior member of the governing coalition in the Netherlands insisted yesterday after reviewing the results of the reprieve of Ayaan Hirsi Ali supported the motion of a vote of no confidence in Mrs Verdonk.

Once again the Second Chamber reached détente and did not muster enough votes to make the motion pass.

This is where D66 demanded that for the survival of the government, Mrs Verdonk be sacrificed through her resignation and she would still did not budge – besides, other members of the coalition put their stock behind Mrs Verdonk insisting they stand or fall together.

Whilst immigration arrests the attention of many in Europe it is a second-rank ministerial function in the Netherlands, regardless of the press and controversy it attracts.

She has done it

It is interesting that we feared that if Mrs Verdonk had won the leadership of the Liberal Party she would pull the party out of the governing coalition, well, she has inadvertently done it through her lack of sense of duty and recalcitrance.

This is not person who has the love of the fatherland at heart, rather, it is the unconscionable love of self, she and her supporters should be duly and harshly punished for it.

When the saga of Ayaan Hirsi Ali first arose, a commentator did surmise that Mrs Verdonk might just have ruined the political careers of two women, hers and that of Ms Hirsi Ali – well the ramifications have gone a lot further.

The concern now is, that elections might be called in three months and having been rejected by her party, she might align herself with one of the more right-wing groups or become the flag-bearer of Rita’s bandwagon and go to the people.

The unpredictability of the Dutch in the exercise of their suffrage might just see her emerge as a serious contender, a prospect that would make many weep when the deed is done.

A most welcome collapse anyhow

As for the collapse of this government, whilst the circumstances of the collapse are unfortunate, the collapse itself is very welcome.

Never have the Dutch been so governed by invisible, prickly, faceless, silent and boring people of whom the leader has been compared to a dour and strict Victorian-type gentleman lacking in charm and charisma.

Even more, lacking in leadership, direction, purpose, initiative, innovation or goals; whilst our economy does prosper, it is in autopilot, if they touched anything, things would collapse.

The same leader has now had two of his governments collapse before term because of internal discord that other visionary or lesser leaders might have found simple or maybe legendary solutions to.

Now, they have collapsed, here is to the hope that the Dutch can reclaim their national soul of freedom, tolerance, liberty and fairness – time to go back to the Dutch as we once knew them – we live in interesting times.

Good riddance to Lady Oddjob! Minister of Disintegration (The Government) and Emigration (Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Salomon Kalou) – Well Done!

References

Dutch coalition falls after resignation of D66 ministers

Row brings down Dutch government

The Mrs Verdonk archive

Other issues with the out-going Prime Minister

The Balkenende II government

Poster dogs Potter

Pass this Dutchie

Living in the Netherlands brings its interesting moments and it is with interest that I review the events that I have raised in earlier blogs that do not seem to go away for all sorts of reasons.

To help in catching the perspective of these issues, first of all the Netherlands is the official name of the country we regularly refer to as Holland. Holland however only comprises 2 of the 12 provinces of the Netherlands.

Holland is made prominent from the fact that the major ports of the Netherlands were in Amsterdam which is in North Holland and Rotterdam which is in South Holland. The area of Holland is hardly one eighth of the total area of the Netherlands.

Furthermore, whilst many might know we have a monarch, Queen Beatrix, our Prime Minister or Minister-President in Dutch Parlance is Jan Peter Balkenende - who? The leader who shares a likeness with Harry Potter - now you know.

More foot for mouth

Well for the past month he has been laid low with a persistent and unremitting foot infection, I alluded to that in my Foot in mouth disease blog for which a number of skin grafts has been made to deal with the this infection. Whilst some might wonder if the problem is a gangrene, I would not even dare to speculate.

News comes to me that Harry Potter has just won a legal action from his sick-foot bed against a publication that shows him on a raunchy poster as an Ex-porn star.

As usual you never hear of these unseemly issues until someone makes such a fuss of it that what was mundane and unnoticed suddenly gains such popularity and publicity, none of which can be bought or planned for.

Remember the furore this summer about the distribution of Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 911, when Disney stopped Miramax a subsidiary from releasing the film, by the time we knew what was going on, a row had broken out about the film, it won the Palme D'or at the Cannes Film Festival and it grossed over $100 million in the box office. Everyone wanted to see it even those who normally would have had no interest.

Why? Because curiosity creates the feeling that makes people ask "What is the fuss all about, let us find out what is going on?"

Likewise, having not seen the poster for an event that was going to happen down the road from my residence in two weekends, I have trawled the net looking for this so-called offensive poster which could have just past off without notice to see what the fuss is all about.

PM wins legal action against raunchy poster {From the Expatica.com news site}. The rather "offensive" poster which to my mind is of no particular damaging import apart from poking simple fun at a public figure would exact punitive sanctions on the publisher if they are not removed from publication.

Methinks, this would create souvenir hunters who would go round and remove these posters for keeps and private publication. I have attached a link to that poster for your perusal; it might not be safe to view this in an office environment - The ex Porn Star

Just let it be

What is my point in this matter?

The feeble sensibilities of public figures who adopt a "holier than thou" persona of pious mien, thinking they are more men than their public and expect to be treated with more deference than is necessary apart from acknowledging that as our government they are in fact servants of the public and should execute their office of service with humility, honesty and integrity. Another of my earlier blogs addressed this - Cellophane skinned lion hearts

Everyone knows that the PM is not a porn star and no one would believe that he in fact is engaged in that silly pose. However, if he does make an issue of it, it leaves him humourless and prone to having delusions of grandeur. Greater men have been maligned much beyond this act of common child's play and it has all gone without a whisper or whimper.

Poster dogs Potter

In 2 weeks all these posters that would have just given us a momentary snigger would have been taken down or covered with other posters. But having kicked the sleeping dog, the bark and ensuing bite would definite leave us with more memories of how funny the poster was and how unfunny the subject became.

Living up to the continued passion of putting foot in mouth with aplomb; nonetheless the skin-grafts from his thigh has reduced his thick skin in more areas than are obvious.

The image that needs burnishing from the cohorts that constitute the government of the Netherlands is good innovative and constructive ideas of governance, of economic stimulation and of radical restructuring, not the squeezing of the middle classes and the penny-pinching that has characterised stopping paltry benefits and the hard-nosed stubbornness of adherence to indefensible issues like the being part of the coalition in Iraq.

All this personal makeover stuff does not cut the muster; the polls now indicate that the governing coalition would go into opposition when we next have the opportunity to turf them out - to which many would say - pretty good riddance.