What about us?

What about us?

November 15, 2024

This morning at ten, I was having coffee with a friend. Although he works in construction, he’s deeply interested in politics. He’s been successful, now has plenty of free time, and follows not just local politics but American politics, especially. Today, he was animated, talking about the latest developments in the U.S. He’s convinced that many of Trump’s cabinet appointees are wildly unqualified and believes the country is on the brink of dictatorship. I get his concerns, but my attempt to comfort him by pointing out that this is a global trend — with rising unease in places like the Netherlands — didn’t help much.

Meanwhile, closer to home, our issues are slipping under the radar. We’re dealing with a weakened press, a fragile civil society, a politicized bureaucracy, and a practically paralyzed parliament. One of our representatives is even being held, leaving the government’s majority support in question. Things have spiraled since a coalition party was ejected from government, leaving five ministers effectively running the show. Our judiciary is clogged, cases are piling up in the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and the courts are falling further behind.

In short, our democracy is under serious strain, and few are paying attention except for a handful of voices trying to write about it.

Miguel Goede