The other Harry Potter

I haven't been paying much attention to Dutch politics, really. Overall it just kind of flows around, no major ups or downs, it just is. Or so I thought.

The current Dutch Prime Minister (or Minister-President, as they call him here) Jan-Peter Balkenende looks quite a lot like Harry Potter, only he's infinitely less cool. Since I got here 2 years ago, I kind of missed the elections and the bruhaha right before it and had better things to do (read: learn Dutch, not get lost in Amsterdam, find a job etc.) than get immersed in the fine print of Dutch politics.

Now though, it's becoming increasingly clear that Balkenende is doing something that in Dutch terms is radical conservative politics. Apparently, over the last 30-40 years the liberals have been in power, forming te Netherlands into the (lefty)liberal paradise it is, with as little as possible intervention from the government, lots of personal freedoms, legalised cannabis, prostitution, increased incentives for businesses, better integration for immigrants and so forth. But apparently two years ago it became apparent that people were becoming less and less happy with the results of some of these policies. Results such as second generation immigrants who don't really fit in and form gangs or results such as increased drug-related crime... So they voted for the Christian Democrats without actually thinking it through.

And now small changes are starting to seep into people's everyday lives. Yesterday, paddo's (magic mushrooms) were made illegal. Balkenende also wants to make abortions illegal and have more women stay home and have babies which in general is, of course, a commendable idea (the staying home, not the abortions) but... there are already much too many people living in the Netherlands. It's the 26th most crowded country in the world (see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_density) note here that China, for example, is 75th in that list. Also, as has been proven on counless occasions, banning abortions does NOT make them not happen. It only makes them take place illegally by inferior doctors with inferior materials and resulting in more serious and permanent damage.

Even more, what has been my pet peeve ever since I got here - the fact that nothing is ever open. General clothes-boots-books stores even on Kalverstraat close promptly at 6 o'clock, food stores generally stay open until 8, in very rare cases until 10 and I know only one store within 20 min walking distance from our place (and that is in central Amsterdam) that stays open 24/7. If you happen to work then when on Earth will you ever buy anything? On the weekend? yes, that would explain the ginormous masses thronging the tiny streets of Amsterdam on Saturday (because, of course, on Sunday most places are closed again). Now, the inteligent people in the government though that they would alleviate the situation and created "Koopzondags" - literally translated as "Buying Sundays", which are not always Sundays. These are days, in every town different days - in Amsterdam for example, Thursdays - when the stores stay open until 8 o'clock. *gasp* so that once a week the working person can delay on dinner to have a "beat the clock and other frantic working people looking for stuff marathon" in order to buy a pair of pants or whatever.

Apparently though Balkenende finds this too lenient and wants to reduce -yes, you read that right REDUCE - the amount of Koopzondags. Er... because the economy is doing much too well right now and needs to be brought down a notch or five? And besides, all god-fearing people should stay home at all times when not working.

I know, I know, most of these things will probably never go through, the society here is much too used to the liberal freedoms they have. But... nevertheless, it's a bit scary to find out what the guy on top really wants to do.