Today’s DutchNews.nl contains quite a number of items relating to nationality, but this isn’t deliberate. The idea isn’t to leap aboard the anti-foreigner or the Dutch-bashing bandwagon.

Today’s coverage is nothing more than a reflection of the issues dominating the Dutch media at the moment. Nationality, race, citizenship, dual passports, respect, shaking hands with women, naturalisation ceremonies, the Armenian question – it’s a tangled collection of stories which illustrate how the Netherlands is attempting to get to grips with its changing demographics.
There is a constant flow of news about the need to become Dutch, to assimilate and to prove one’s loyalty. It’s no longer enough to speak the language, pay taxes and celebrate your birthday the Dutch way. It must be strange to feel an increasing sense of alienation in a country that has been home for many, many years – and in the case of second generation immigrants, for their whole lives.
DutchNews.nl doesn’t set the media agenda in the Netherlands. Its aim is to keep non-Dutch readers (foreigners has almost become a dirty word) in touch with the issues dominating Dutch news. Believe us, no-one will be happier when we can headline a story: ‘Nationality no longer an issue, now its respect for all.’