On maintaindra

There is something terribly wrong or extremely right, depending on one's view or position, surrounding the elections in The Netherlands.  While the Dutch and their candidate political representatives tend to consider that political agendas elsewhere in Europe will have a more relevant bearing on their near future than the outcome of this Wednesday's national elections, many in Europe are anxiously awaiting the election results as an apparent influencer on a wider multi-national political forefront.

On a normal working / business day, about 75 % of 12 million voters will select among 20 political parties, including a party for animal rights and another party against copyrights, representatives in a 150 seats national parliament / lower house. 

The Netherlands has a long tradition of what I would consider a fair democratic approach to society, probably best reflected in the survival of the Staten-Generaal, a kind of round table coalition - one province, one vote -  from its natural mutual voluntary founding in the early middle ages, through foreign Spanish, French, German occupancies, religious and world trade conflicts, to this very day. 

(I cannot think of any other country that honours German, Spanish and French influences in its national anthem and coat of arms.)

The Netherlands is too old to be referred to as a melting pot of cultures, too young to be regarded a civilization in itself, too small to be regarded an economic, political or otherwise world power, too big or developed to be regarded as emerging or risky.  Perhaps it is the sum or mix of these various ingredients, of which a general open and honest, nearly blunt form of expression is not the least significant, that makes the elections such a meaningful indicator of what is into play amongst an electorate, a population, at present. 

In that respect I can see why many (politicians) from the outside looking in, are worried on what will be expressed on the current status of matters.  It is not about the quality of politicians but the quality of a group of sufficiently informed people speaking their mind.