There seems to be a real political exodus in The Hague. Both the VVD and the CDA will have to contend with cancellation after cancellation in their individual search for a party leader for the upcoming parliamentary elections. According to former SP MP Ronald van Raak, this may have to do with how the profession has changed.
It is not uncommon for MPs and ministers to boast that their job is ‘the best and most honorable job in the country’, but this trend appears to have disappeared in recent days. “Wear is on the rise,” explains Van Raak. “It’s like being on a derailing train, going faster and faster, and therefore rubbing harder and harder.”
“It’s like being on a train that derails, accelerates and then grinds harder and harder”
Van Raak refers to the hardening of the tone in the profession. Where twenty years ago it was mainly about the political debate and its contents, he believes that today has been reversed. “Parliamentary democracy has somehow become a media democracy,” continues Van Raak. “And instead of the media reporting the debates in parliament, you see the debates mostly taking place in the media, after which they are debated in parliament.”
Less interesting
And so the profession of politician is less popular, thinks Van Raak. Something that can be attributed to the attitude of MPs, he thinks. Though he thinks it also has to do with the zeitgeist people will be dealing with in 2023. “We come from a neoliberal era, politics like management and MPs who had to score points in the media as a kind of small business.” he explains. “And that has colored politics a lot over the last 25 or 30 years, but now it seems like we’re entering a different era, which may also be associated with a different political culture.”
It is supported by Binnenhof observer and journalist Chris Aalberts. However, he thinks it depends on the position he’s in. “There will be enough CDA members who want to be on the list for parliamentary elections,” he says. ‘The people at the VVD will also be extremely enthusiastic.’
Old faces
According to Aalberts, the reason why party celebrities and former ministers no longer want to join is that “they’ve already had the honour”. “Hugo de Jonge was twice very important on all stages and was able to express his influence,” he says. “So you can ask yourself if he gains anything from experiencing a period like that again.”
So think that people who are now disappearing from the political scene have been there for so long that it’s really not surprising that they stop. “If Ms. Kaag said ‘I’ll stop’ now, we’d have a problem,” she concludes. “The fact that you have doubts about it says enough, I think. She’s just become a political leader and she’s been quite successful, so if she’s retiring now because of all the threats, I’d have some doubts that politics has become unattractive.”
Source: BNR
Fernando Dowling is an author and political journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. He has a deep understanding of the political landscape and a passion for analyzing the latest political trends and news.
