Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende is proud of many things – and he uses his guest editorial in today’s Telegraaf to list them. It is a very, very long list.

‘I am proud of the Netherlands. I am proud of what we have achieved. I am proud of what we are capable of. I am proud of what we are doing… I am proud of the people who roll up their shirt sleeves and get stuck in… I am proud of a country in which everyone counts – young and old, rich and poor, sick and healthy, successful and not so lucky… I am proud of our open society, our modesty… I am proud of our nurses, doctors, teachers and police officers who, day in day out, keep the ball rolling. I am proud of the mothers and fathers who try to give their children a good upbringing… I am proud of the young and old Turks and Moroccans who resist hate and extremism… I am proud of our athletes, even if they don’t win…’
And so on and so on…