Winter shows up early in Amsterdam. Along the quays of the outer canals, cyclists wearing gloves and scarves pedal W about, unfazed by the puddles. Underneath rainbow flags, hunched-over coffee drinkers brave the bitter cold and breathe fog between sips. Far from the boisterous and tourist-infested anarchy that is the city centre, this place is orderly, understated and, so it seems, alluring.
While it's no Australia or Britain, the Netherlands has established itself as another place putting out the welkom mat to Kiwis seeking an OE. According to data from the Ministerie van Justitie en Veiligheid (Ministry of Justice and Security), which regulates migration in the country, the number of New Zealanders applying for working holiday visas and work permits in the Netherlands nearly doubled between 2016 and 2023 to about 500 a year. Add these newcomers to those who have pitched up over the past two decades and you'll get quite a sizeable Kiwi community.
But, under the surface of this charming progenitor of progress, change is brewing.
On November 22, the Dutch gave far-right Geert Wilders and his Party for Freedom (PVV) 23.49% of the vote - more than any other party in the notoriously fractured parliamentary system.
During his campaign, Wilders spelt out his desire to tear up environmental regulations, used the words "zero tolerance for street scum" and spoke of bans on mosques, Islamic headscarves in public buildings and possession of the Qur'an. Even if Wilders' place in government is far from a given (the PVV was the largest party with 37 seats but needs support from other parties to form a coalition government), his electoral success indicates that much of the population is vehemently opposed to how things have been going.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة January 20 - 26 2024 من New Zealand Listener.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة January 20 - 26 2024 من New Zealand Listener.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.