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Jurgen Verstrepen wondered whether the government was in crisis. He wrote that someone who opposed a VAT increase but was in favor of more government savings was, in his opinion, harshly criticized instead of being applauded. He also noted that during the budget discussions, attention was given to several Palestinian students who could not fly here. #politiek #crisis #begroting (translated)

This minister wants nothing to do with what he calls ‘woke behavior’. Anything that leans towards inclusivity and diversity, he dismisses. Hegseth believes that traditional male-female relationships and hierarchy within the armed forces should be restored. He sees modern progressive policy as a threat. He wants to get rid of all ‘softies’ and advocates for the ultimate macho culture. #Machocultuur #Defensie #Executie (translated)

Els van Veen wrote that she found the increasing resistance against Purple Friday recognizable. According to her, her children had long since stopped going to school. She stated that the problem was not that everyone could be themselves, but the pressure to wear purple at school and the government interference she saw in this matter. Years ago, she claimed, nearly no one came to school in purple anymore, not even an openly gay classmate. Van Veen compared this pressure to the coronaperiod. She wrote that people were told they were getting vaccinated for others, and that those who did not do so were labeled as antisocial and excluded. She also claimed that doctors expressing concerns were publicly ridiculed and lost their jobs. Many people, according to her, are now silent about this, including those who had contributed to the exclusion of unvaccinated individuals at the time. She argued that the boundary of coercion, pressure, and propaganda had been reached for more and more people. Van Veen criticized politicians who, in her view, wanted to dictate how people behaved and did not respect the right to self-determination. She also expressed criticism of what she described as moral superiority and the spending of public money on causes that did not benefit the population. Finally, she wrote that doctors treated everyone equally in the consulting room, regardless of gender, sexuality, or vaccination status. https://t.co/5EmgfuiUho #PaarseVrijdag #Tolerantie #Vrijheid (translated)

Monique X- Fluencer stated that Jesse Klaver's behavior, according to her, demonstrated what Progressive Netherlands stood for. She described it as antisocial, arrogant, and authoritarian, and wrote that there was no respect for the opinions of others. #politiek #respect #gedrag (translated)

A director who is accused of inappropriate behavior is attempting to stop a person-centered investigation through the courts, but is confronted with the progress of the investigation despite his illness. #GrensoverschrijdendGedrag #PersoonsgerichtOnderzoek #Arbeidsrecht (translated)

Sander Sassen addressed Henri Bontenbal and wrote that he had been little visible for months, despite an earlier column by Sassen about his absence. According to Sassen, Bontenbal had published a long thread on October 7, in which he labeled Hamas a terrorist organization and reflected on the victims and the Jewish community. Sassen felt that Bontenbal had subsequently blurred the responsibility for the violence by talking about a chain of violence, the Israeli response, and civilian casualties. He also believed that Bontenbal had pointed to Benjamin Netanyahu's settlement policy as an obstacle to a two-state solution. Sassen argued that this approach equated Hamas's attack and kidnappings with Israel's response, thereby fueling antisemitism. Sassen also criticized Bontenbal's reference to an article in Trouw about Maoz Inon, who lost his parents to Hamas, and Aziz Abu Sarah, whose brother died in an Israeli prison. Sassen described their pursuit of reconciliation as hopeful but felt that Bontenbal presented this initiative as a serious way forward without giving sufficient attention to Hamas's persistence and objectives, according to him. He also stated that Hamas deliberately saddled Palestinian children with hatred for Jews. Sassen wrote that, in his opinion, Bontenbal offered false hope and insufficiently placed responsibility for Hamas's violence on the perpetrators. He claimed that Hamas and its supporters aimed for the destruction of Israel and stated that disarmament by Palestinians, in his view, would bring peace, while Israel's disarmament would lead to a new attack like the one on October 7. #Israël #Hamas #Antisemitisme (translated)

Nausicaa Marbe wrote that the CBS was not under a ministry but was funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate. She stated that the government claimed to have no money but was paying officials who pressured people at home to read a message she deemed unwanted. Marbe called that behavior disgraceful and said that citizens should be left alone. #CBS #Overheid #Schandalig (translated)

Behavioral expert Kees van Overveld warns in Zwijndrecht of a dangerous school culture of violence and intimidation, where adults hardly intervene and young people create their own moral standards, and he advocates for greater involvement from both schools and parents to change this situation. #geweldonderjongeren #socialemedia #scholen (translated)

Geert Noels stated that a study by Vooruit estimated the annual cost of corporate taxation at 4.2 to 4.7 billion euros, but according to him, due to significant errors, it actually amounted to about 1 billion euros. He argued that this cost could not be offset by higher taxes, which he believed would cause more harm than benefit; he advocated for better oversight of bogus self-employment. Noels identified the main mistake as the comparison between directors via a management company and employees. According to him, directors were legally self-employed and paid contributions up to a ceiling. This comparison would overestimate the estimate by more than 1 billion euros. Moreover, employer contributions were calculated based on the total labor cost instead of the gross salary, resulting in a calculation of 33 percent instead of 25 percent. Noels also disputed that there were four independent estimates: according to him, they used the same rates and distribution keys. He pointed out that estimate C assumed 24 billion euros in shifted profits, compared to about 15 billion euros in total profits in estimate A. Furthermore, factors such as the tax shift, energy crisis, inflation, the reform of corporate tax in 2017, and Pillar 2 were not included as explanations for the macro figures. Also, liquidation reserves of ordinary SMEs would have been counted as leaks. According to Noels, the study also did not take behavior effects into account, such as substitution, cessation, moving abroad, losses, or bankruptcies, and only included companies with profits. He therefore labeled the note as an unreliable basis for policy and believed that bogus self-employment should be addressed directly. Finally, he urged academics, journalists, and politicians to respect the facts when it came to entrepreneurs and risk-takers. #Vennootschapsbelasting #Economie #Belastingen (translated)

Xander van der Wulp, editor-in-chief of NOS Sport, announces a new direction for the editorial team, admitting that in the past, NOS acted too much like a commercial entity and now wants to collaborate with commercial broadcasters to ensure quality sports broadcasts. #NOSSport #Eredivisie #Sportjournalistiek (translated)

Suriname has filed a complaint about racism after a controversial red card for player Richonell Margaret during the lost match against Guatemala in the CONCACAF Nations League and is calling for measures against discriminatory behavior from spectators. #racisme #voetbal #CONCACAF (translated)

A large majority of Dutch youth, especially girls, regularly feels unsafe, both online and on the street, with shocking numbers indicating that many have experienced sexual transgressive behavior and other forms of aggression, according to a study by KidsRights. #Veiligheid #Jongeren #SeksueelGrensoverschrijdendGedrag (translated)