Politics and elections
The month of March often has a political tone due to elections. On 20 March, we can cast our votes again in the Provincial States elections. Politics often involves choices and interests. These may be direct interests, such as whether there is sufficient employment, but also interests that initially seem distant but in fact influence everyone’s lives at some point or another. These could be in the areas of education, energy policy and healthcare, for example. Various UG researchers are studying politically-oriented subjects. This month, we will highlight a selection of recent communications about UG researchers with a focus on politics.
Interviews and news reports
‘We need a strong government, particularly now’
Harry Garretsen has a keen interest in the interaction between economics, politics and leadership. Together with Prof. Janka Stoker, he runs the ‘In the LEAD’ research institute. Their new book ‘Goede leiders zweven niet’ (True Leaders Are Never Adrift) appeared in October 2018.
'Give political parties more freedom to organize'
Political parties, populism, manifestos; these are all issues that interest the Documentation Centre for Dutch Political Parties (DNPP). Head of the centre Gerrit Voerman, argues that political parties should be given more freedom to organize and structure themselves as they wish. ‘Circumstances change’.
No room for regions in national politics
In its interim report published in June 2018, the national Commissie-Remkes committee, set up to look at ways of boosting confidence in the Dutch parliamentary system, promisingly stated that ‘the regional component must be better represented in the national electoral system’, as the visibility and representation of regional interests in national politics is currently problematic. The committee’s final report, however, only includes a weak recommendation on this aspect. This is a missed opportunity, according to Caspar van den Berg and Bram van Vulpen.
Faulty escalator leads to divided city
'People need a lot of clarity and procedural justice is essential. Explanations and motivations are important.' Jacob Dijkstra, a sociologist at the UG, is concerned about developments in the city of Groningen. A city that, at first glance, is doing well. However, a closer look may reveal a divide opening up with on one side the prosperous inhabitants with a job, house, car and social network and on the other those who have none of the above and find it difficult to keep up.
Researchers in the spotlights
Documentation Centre Dutch Political Parties
Documentation Centre Dutch Political Parties collects (digital) material about Dutch political parties and conducts research on these organizations.
| Last modified: | 20 December 2022 3.37 p.m. |