Best-selling author of 'The Rhine' & 'Why The Dutch Are Different' (https://t.co/T0jULUwrcm). Columnist @ADnl. Writer, aid worker, speechwriter, recovering Tory
Jun 13 • 11 tweets • 3 min read
At the risk of repeating myself, here’s a quick summary all in one place of some of the upstanding geniuses in the new Dutch cabinet:
Immigration minister, Gidi Markuszower: was arrested for carrying a gun in Amsterdam. Labeled a security risk by the Dutch security services. Also a dual national - in a government where one of the flagship policies of his new department is banning dual nationality.
May 16 • 14 tweets • 3 min read
I’ll save detailed analysis for another time but a few quick points on all this:
The EU is in for a rough ride, especially when it comes to asylum and free movement. This is like Nigel Farage becoming PM of a leading member state
Putin will be pleased further EU expansion is out
The asylum policy will please PVV voters terrified of asylum centres opening in their towns, but won’t actually solve the problem. If you ban spreading new arrivals then you simply guarantee that overcrowding at Ter Apel will be worse, and do nothing to actually slow the influx.
May 16 • 25 tweets • 3 min read
So, Geert Wilders finally has a government of his own. But what does it actually plan to do?
A summary of what we know so far - some of it predictable and some more shocking:
There will be a temporary Asylum Crisis Act lasting up to two years. During that period, the processing of asylum applications will be suspended and the reception of people who apply for asylum here will be 'greatly reduced'.
Mar 14 • 20 tweets • 5 min read
What’s happening with Geert Wilders’ efforts to put together a new Dutch government?
An update 🧵 for people who don’t speak Dutch or haven’t been following closely:
To recap, on 22 November everyone’s favourite fascist wig model scored a remarkable victory, increasing his party’s parliamentary seats by about fifty percent and crushing every other party. An unprecedented result.
Nov 24, 2023 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
Dutch elections: what happens now?
-> results confirmed today
-> today all party leaders meet with parliament chair
-> select an “verkenner” - a wise elder who will “scout” possible coalition options
-> Wilders’ PVV, as election winners, gets to recommend who this verkenner is
-> 5 December commission says whether or not election was free and fair
-> 6 December new MPs start work
-> 7 December MPs debate election results
-> “informateur” appointed to meet with party leaders one by one, discussing coalition options
Nov 23, 2023 • 24 tweets • 8 min read
What does Geert Wilders actually want, in policy terms? A 🧵.
A complete end to all asylum for refugees
Sep 28, 2023 • 6 tweets • 3 min read
English-language coverage of #Rotterdam shootings seems a bit patchy and unreliable, so here goes:
A man in a bulletproof vest shot two of his neighbours at their home on Heiman Dullaertplein. A 39-year-old woman was shot dead and her 14-year-old daughter was seriously injured. The man then set their house on fire.
Dec 4, 2021 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Lots of excitement online yesterday about boosters on demand at some locations in Holland. Someone I know rushed to the GGD in Gouda to get one. Staff there had never heard of the scheme; said they’d also seen the tweets and announcements but definitely couldn’t give out boosters
to be clear, this wasn’t just online rumors, but a series of official announcements, telling people to go along. Yet multiple staff on site didn’t say “we’ve run out” - they said “we saw the announcement too, but have no idea what it means”. What an unbelievable mess.
Congratulations to whoever had “stop testing people who are clearly ill” in the sweepstake for ‘jaw-droppingly dumb decisions the Dutch government will take this week’. nos.nl/l/2407966
It’s always weird self-testing isn’t promoted more. But to ditch PCR testing *at the exact moment when a variant is spreading which can only be found with PCR tests* is… 🤯
And clearly being done only because they’re incapable of delivering the right policy (scaled up testing)
Jul 12, 2021 • 21 tweets • 5 min read
A ;long-ish but simple summary of how things are going with the pandemic in the Netherlands now, for those who maybe don’t follow very closely:
Unfortunately the short version is: not good. Almost everything reopened in late June (back to work, music festivals, nightclubs, no masks in shops) and since then infections have absolutely exploded: from about 500/day two weeks ago to 10,000/day now. +500% growth in a week 🤯
May 28, 2021 • 7 tweets • 5 min read
A brief update on the state of the pandemic in the Netherlands, in five tweets:
1) Infections data is looking remarkably good, considering almost everything has reopened recently. There's been some issues with the data but we're currently under 3,000 cases per day- compared with more like 5,000/day a week ago and 8,000 a month ago. Now lowest for +6 months👏
Mar 18, 2021 • 20 tweets • 5 min read
A few random, fairly unoriginal thoughts on the Dutch election results:
1.despite excitable coverage, the most remarkable thing about the result is how unremarkable it was. Rutte’s VVD finished top for 4th election in a row. A man who has been PM for more +ten years will probably continue for another four. And after a series of crises & scandals...
Mar 17, 2021 • 10 tweets • 2 min read
I’m not really an expert poll-watcher, but six (fairly obvious) things I’ll be looking out for in the Dutch election results: #Verkiezingen20211. Most obviously, the seats won by Rutte’s VVD, which forecasts show fluctuating a lot. Its hard to imagine they won’t come top - but expectations are so high that disappointment feels to me somewhat inevitable. (Work on your expectation management, guys...)
Mar 16, 2021 • 9 tweets • 3 min read
Selected Dutch political slogans, reviewed:
PvdA: “Vote PvdA”
Not really trying hard here, are you guys? I’d love to see the meeting where they workshopped this. “Vote Me” didn’t make the cut I guess.
2/10, must try harder.
Feb 25, 2021 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Often the Netherlands feels like an amazingly wonderful, clever, kind and peaceful corner of the world.
But sometimes it just feels like an idiotic death cult.
This is why we can’t have nice things.
I said something similar yesterday but to be clear: this is obviously disgraceful and selfish behaviour by the people involved. If you know local hospitals are overwhelmed and then you still choose to go out for a beer, then you're just not as nice as you think you are.
BUT...
Feb 24, 2021 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Amsterdam, less than 24 hours after Mark Rutte said we can afford to take some risks because people will be careful
See also the tone of countless tweets like these, and the gleeful replies. Yes, fifteen thousand people have died but what’s a few thousand more if you can drink a beer in the sun ha ha ha. Selfish f******g morons.
In case you missed it, Thierry Baudet had quite an interesting time yesterday. Five choice moments from the Dutch election campaign trail:
The public should rise up and form a civilian army
Dec 17, 2020 • 17 tweets • 4 min read
Thinking a lot this morning about Dutch attitudes to government failure today (given the news that having made bold pledges about delivering covid vaccines, preparations for actually doing this are running way behind schedule)
It’s often striking to me how benign Dutch people’s attitudes seem. The pandemic is a good example: NL has been battered badly, yet Rutte’s polling at record highs. Even when things go badly, the prevailing attitude seems to be: “give them a break, they’re doing their best!”
Dec 17, 2020 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
In case you missed it: if you’re Dutch, don’t get your hopes up for that vaccine.
Depressing not just as it’s depressing,but because it was wholly predictable. The January vaccination pledge was always absurd, but as usual they got away with making it. Over-promise, under-deliver
And no, it’s not just about the EMA. It’s about still being at the “huh, I guess we should probably start arranging things soon?” phase of planning roll-out.
Does anyone actually think Dutch people will get it at the same time/speed as Germans?
Oct 14, 2020 • 14 tweets • 2 min read
As the Dutch government belatedly tightens coronavirus restrictions, you may be wondering how well hospitals are set up to handle corona patients. Well here’s a little story...
A relative of mine is in somewhat vulnerable health so has stayed away from busy places for months and been very careful. But this week they had an appointment at @GHZGouda in Gouda
Oct 13, 2020 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
I'm not sure I can face the emotional rollercoaster of live-tweeting Rutte's #persconferentie tonight - if you want that stuff in English, I'd recommend following the admirable @DutchNewsNL.
But if anyone cares, my preliminary hot take would probably be:
It's hard for non-experts to draw reliable conclusions from the last six months, but one seems to be: by postponing a lockdown you don't avoid having one- you just ensure it has to be even worse. That's what NL has done: avoided painful decisions, and hence made them more painful
