A droite…la gauche Le résultat des élections parlementaires du 15 mars aux Pays-Bas, est une victoire pour le premier ministre actuel, Mark Rutte. Bien que son parti, le VVD, demeure le plus grand parti politique du pays, malgré sa régression en termes du nombre de sièges obtenus, Rutte peut rencontrer des difficultés lors de la […]
Piggy-In-The-Middle: Even Centre-Ground Politics Can Be Cool
The result of the Dutch parliamentary elections, that took place on Wednesday 15th March, is a victory for the current prime minister, Mark Rutte. Although his party, the VVD, remain the largest political party in the Netherlands despite losing 8 parliamentary seats, Mark Rutte may face difficulties in forming a working coalition. It is probable […]
MONDE: “Erdogan, Laissez Votre Démocratie Bidon à La Maison”
En interdisant l’entrée à deux élus politiques turcs importants, les Pays-Bas ont déclenché un conflit sérieux avec la Turquie. La décision de ne pas permettre que la politique turque soit officiellement exprimée sur le sol hollandais ne peut être justifiée que si la décision prise est basée sur des principes moraux qui peuvent être, autant […]
“Erdogan, Leave Your Bloody Politics At Home…”
In prohibiting entry to two senior Turkish politicians, the Netherlands has sparked a serious dispute with Turkey. The decision not to allow Turkish politics to be officially expressed on Dutch soil can only be justified if the decision to do so is based on moral principles that can be as universally applied as possible, and […]
When “Likes” Can Kill: The Darkest Side Of the Web
Sometimes by pure accident you read about an act of violence in the news, that fills you with such disgust and hate for the perpetrators that you just feel like shouting your anger to the world. Today, quite by chance, I came across this news story from the Dutch television news website. The act of […]
Pokemon Go…Going…Gone – Cyberspace And The Human Brain
Books will soon be obsolete in schools. Scholars will soon be instructed through the eye. It is possible to teach every branch of human knowledge with the motion picture. Our school system will be completely changed in ten years. – Thomas Edison – 1913 You’ve got to give Thomas Edison credit for his vision. Of […]
EU Citizens and Brexit: “Leave if You Want to, The Expat’s Not For Leaving.”
The title of this post paraphrases something Margaret Thatcher said during the 1980 Conservative Party Conference. Having been asked on several occasions by the media whether she would perform a U-turn concerning her economic and social policies, she had always replied that she wasn’t one to change her mind. At the conference she spoke a […]
Call My Bluff with Theresa May…This week’s word is…Brexit
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time once again for “Call My Bluff”. And here’s your host, Theresa May. Hello everybody, and welcome to this edition of “Call My Bluff”, a panel game in which three contestants give me a definition of a political word that I have never heard of. I must guess the true […]
Socrates in the House of Lords: What is Democracy and Does Theresa May Believe in it?
The fact that Theresa May, the UK prime minister, made an unprecedented appearance in the House of Lords speaks volumes over her respect for parliamentary democracy. It is now patently clear that the EU referendum that took place on June 23rd 2016 was flawed ever since the former prime minister, David Cameron, promised the vote […]
El Mismo Sol: Corruption et Pauvreté au Pérou
Un mandat d’arrêt international a été émis à l’encontre de l’ancien Président péruvien Alejandro Toledo, suite à des allégations de pots-de-vin, estimés à $20m, versés par le géant brésilien de la construction, Odebrecht. L’ancien président, en contrepartie, aurait accordé un contrat lucratif pour la construction d’une route transocéanienne entre le Brésil et la côte péruvienne. […]