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Lex Hoogduin wrote that he believed change was possible, but not in the way that the cabinet and the left envisioned. He advocated for a peaceful classical-liberal revolution with a smaller government, fewer rules, bureaucracy, and civil servants. According to him, the government should free citizens and protect their property, while reducing the tax burden and maintaining a limited safety net for people who faced real setbacks. He also argued for space for a revival of an independent civil society outside of the state, with communities in various fields. #liberalisme #overheid #belasting (translated)

John Witkamp wrote that Victor Johan Vollenbroek was not portrayed as an independent activist, but as someone who, according to him, was cleverly managed by financially powerful parties. Witkamp claimed that Vollenbroek and his brother Frans made a lot of money at the expense of farmers and that their motivation, in his view, was financial, not environmental or social engagement. He also predicted that the brothers would soon become honorary members of D66. #milieumaffia #milieu #boeren #politiek (translated)

The recent student protests in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, marked by a sense of discontent over education cuts and societal concerns, have been overshadowed by violent actions from a small number of rioters, causing legitimate demands to go unheard and the level of dialogue with the authorities to further decline. #ManifesteEtudiant #ColèreCollective #RéformesEducatives (translated)

Sander Sassen reflected on the legacy of October 7. He wrote that three years earlier he had watched livestreams filled with rage and disgust in which, according to him, Palestinians were killing Jewish civilians while the Palestinian population celebrated the murders. Sassen stated that he commemorated the victims and argued that Israel was still being attacked from all sides and that Jews worldwide had to fear for their lives. According to him, October 7 had shown that civilization was an illusion for many and that antisemitism had returned in 2026. He said that his support for Israel and the Jewish people remained unwavering and called for speaking out against antisemitism, which, according to him, had also reached institutions, governments, politicians, and policymakers. Sassen referred to antisemitism as a "canary in the coal mine" and a measure of the tolerance and freedom of a society. In the Netherlands, he claimed that things had been declining over the past three years: propaganda was dominant, antisemitism had once again become socially acceptable, dialogue was often made impossible, and ideology drove many Dutch people. He wrote that the Netherlands had completely ignored the warning of the "deceased" canary. #antisemitisme #Israël #solidariteit (translated)

The author viewed any potential reintroduction of conscription in the long term as a societal project that should strengthen resilience and social cohesion. According to the author, HLN wrongly presented the plan as a re-education program for several hundred rioters and the newspaper deliberately chose not to listen to its message. (translated)

The author wrote that two temporary reception locations for asylum seekers in Zwolle were given priority in the allocation of space on the electricity grid. According to the author, the city council stated that the societal interest weighed heavily enough to deviate from its own policy rules. The author stated that councilor Arjan Spaans thereby lost the trust of the people of Zwolle. According to the author, Spaans consistently prioritized the interests of the national asylum chain over the housing crisis and the overload of the electricity grid in Zwolle. The author felt that his loyalty did not lie with the local population and deemed him unsuitable for politics in Zwolle. #asielzoekers #Zwolle #woningnood (translated)

Jan B. Hommel wrote that he normally did not share anything from GeenStijl, but this time he made an exception. He stated that the victims of the allowance scandal had still not been given justice and that Agaath Cleyndert had already found a lucrative job again. According to Hommel, thousands of documents had remained hidden and parents and children had suffered greatly. He expressed fierce anger and used derogatory language for those involved. He also stated that they should receive a minimal allowance and should be kept away from government positions. Hommel mentioned Pieter Omtzigt and Renske Leijten. #Toeslagenaffaire #Onrecht #MaatschappelijkeImpact (translated)

"You handle things hands-free, and for the visually impaired, such glasses are a great solution: an extra pair of eyes that reads aloud and describes what is in front of you." The glasses from Meta are a 'textbook example of a product that is legally available but ethically undesirable,' says well-known AI speaker Jarno Duursma. #MetaBril #MaatschappelijkeDiscussie (translated)

Would it not have been better if Mayor Halsema had pressured her colleague Anja Schouten from Alkmaar to not allow any asylum seekers, instead of denying access to supporters of Hapoel Be'er Sheva? Open the door for asylum seekers, close the door for supporters. What a contradiction. https://t.co/KXD59NBkGP #asielzoekers #veiligehaven #maatschappelijkeverantwoordelijkheid (translated)

So very, very rarely are there those rare moments that remind you that you still live in the Netherlands. The Netherlands! The beautiful country where I was born half a century ago. This professor reminds me of that country: level-headed, businesslike, without ideological capers and with a clear awareness of what institutions are and are not intended for. A university is NOT a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and should explicitly NOT conduct its own foreign policy. Moreover, those who glorify violence should not be able to hide behind academic freedom or political engagement. A university has a responsibility for the safety of ALL students and for the rule of law that applies in the Netherlands. Sometimes you might almost forget that these were once completely normal premises. Not every social conflict needs to be imported by our institutions, not every radical belief deserves institutional whitewashing, and tolerance does not mean that a university may look the other way when genocidal anti-Semitic violence is glorified. This is the foundation of the Netherlands I knew: freedom, but no boundlessness; tolerance, but no capitulation; universities that pursue education and science instead of geopolitical activism. #Nederland #onderwijs #vrijheid (translated)

The article advocates for prioritizing food security in Africa as an essential step for the stability of Europe, emphasizing the need for smart financing and collaboration to enhance agricultural productivity and societal stability. #Voedselzekerheid #Afrika #DuurzameOntwikkeling (translated)

Jolande Withuis, gisteren uitgeroepen tot Vrijdenker van het Jaar 2026 door De Vrije Gedachte: "Vanuit haar intellectuele moed als socioloog, historicus en publicist onderzoekt en beschrijft zij maatschappelijke opvattingen als onafhankelijk denker zonder vooringenomenheid" ❤️ #Vrijdenker #Intellect #Maatschappij

Een veelgeciteerde expert in de berichtgeving is demograaf Jan Latten, die spreekt van ‘code oranje’ en pleit voor een minister van Gezin om maatschappelijke barrières weg te nemen die vooral vrouwen in de weg zouden staan om kinderen te krijgen. #Geboortecijfer #Reproductierechten #Vrouwenrechten