Recent events in the United States have given us a good look at how a country fares when trust in its institutions is undermined by power-focused people's tribunals. This raises the question of whether we sufficiently realize the value of democracy to us as citizens. In this edition of the General Government Performance Index, I explore how democracy translates into tangible returns relevant to citizens.
Flickr-Daniel Huizinga
In democracies, it is the voters who determine who holds power. At the same time, however, companies and other organizations spend billions every year on lobbyists and other advocates who 'help' them to influence the same politicians and governments voted into office by the people. By nature, lobbying takes place outside the general public's view and seeks beneficial results for those employing them. In this article, I argue that in a democracy such as ours, this discrepancy between open elections and hidden influence is a reason for great concern. I also make suggestions for introducing better safeguards to prevent perverse incentives in political advocacy from undermining the structure and organization of our democratic system.
The Associated Press
How cruel can history be? Having just secured a hard-fought victory over stubborn EU remainers, ‘Team Leave’ finally managed to escape from Brussels' straitjacket of rules and legal patronage on February 1, 2020. Within days after taking back control, however, it already had to surrender the regained sovereignty to an invisible, incalculable and deadly virus. Glory and adversity are inseparable comrades in politics. This edition of my Brexit monitor predicts that the 'walkover' Boris Johnson thought he had secured, will turn out to be an uphill battle instead.
Source: Aspen Review - issue 3/2013
Europe, at times, is its own worst enemy. Every crisis makes the EU paler, more powerless and more vulnerable. The disintegration of the EU is not an option; however; it is equivalent to political self-destruction. It is time for a new impulse. The corona crisis may turn out to be a useful catalyst. In this article, I will diagnose and prescribe for recovery.
Photo: Ben Stansall/AFP
The recent House of Commons’elections finally brought the endless Brexit soap to a sudden halt. With a majority of 43 seats and divided opposition, the Conservative party has all the cards in its hands to reshape the domestic political agenda for the next five years. It does not alter the fact, however, that there is still a long way to go internationally. 'Getting Brexit Done' is now officially a fact ... but will it work?
Loyal readers of my articles will know that I am bothered by the dogmas and simplicity, which regularly burdens the energy debate. It is unproductive, often too selective in the facts used and it ignores the complexity of the challenges we face. In this article, I try, based on an extensive investigation of the available data, to explore this issue and to find starting points for future policy and actions — both for The Netherlands as elsewhere.
In the 2019 edition of my General Government Performance Index (GGPI), I focus on the influence that political systems such as the form of government and electoral system have on the quality of government administration. More specifically, I try to see if there is a relationship between these components and the level of government performance and income (in) equality relevant to citizens. In this article, I also present the results of the GGPI 2019.
Again, a Brexit deadline expires without result. Brexit will be decided in a general election (or not?). Boris Johnson plays the card of protecting 'the will of the people'' to force his luck at the ballot box. Nobody has a clue what that 'will’ might be. This article attempts to figure out what 'the people' precisely wanted when they voted for 'Leave'. It might be something quite different from what the hard Brexiteers are now aiming for.
Sir Winston Churchill would turn in his grave. If the Battle of Britain was the highlight of sacrifice by the very few for the future of so many in the United Kingdom and beyond, then the Brexit is the opposite. Rarely, dysfunctional (in)action of so few, affected the future of so many. This episode of the Brexit monitor looks back, takes stock and (with due hesitation given the unpredictability of things) looks ahead.
Parliament Square, London - January 15, 2019 (Irish Times/picture by Kirsty O’Connor/PA)
The 15th of January 2019 should have gone into history as the day that the United Kingdom took back control from the European Union .... if not for the fact that everything in this file always unfolds in entirely other ways than expected, while actually nothing has changed that much. Theresa May is still there, the Brexit-deal is by no means dead, and the British remain hopelessly divided. In this interim Brexit-update, I try to explore the current situation, and make some predictions.