May 2010 THE NETHERLANDS: THE POPULIST TEMPTATION Christophe DE VOOGD www.fondapol.org THE NETHERLANDS: THE POPULIST TEMPTATION Christophe DE VOOGD The Fondation pour l’innovation politique is a liberal, progressive and European foundation President: Nicolas Bazire Vice-president: Charles Beigbeder Chief Executive Officer: Dominique Reynié
[email protected] General Secretary: Corinne Deloy
[email protected] THE NETHERLANDS: THE POPULIST TEMPTATION Christophe DE VOOGD Lecturer in history at Sciences Po, author of Histoire des Pays-Bas des origines à nos jours (Fayard, 2003) Few European countries have seen their international image change as radically as the Netherlands in such a short space of time. As recently as 2000, the Dutch economy, boasting one of the highest rates of growth in the OECD, focused international attention on the virtues of the polder- model, a blend of cooperation and moderation between business leaders and trade unions in a constant search for compromise. On social issues, the Dutch “laboratory”, with its liberal penal climate, its acceptance of gay marriage, the re-opening of brothels, its permissive policies on drugs and the legalisation of euthanasia, inspired interest around the world. The perspective has changed enormously since the tragic events of 2002 and 2004, with the assassination of populist leader Pim Fortuyn and polemic filmmaker Theo Van Gogh, which brought the Netherlands face-to-face with the spectre of political violence, something that had previously been absolutely proscribed from national politics. Dutch society has also been beset by doubts about the continuation of its van- guard experiments – particularly in respect to drugs – and the increase in crime has prompted calls for limits to be placed on the sacrosanct principle of gedogen, or tolerance, in all areas.