DutchNews podcast: The Hipster Santa Claus Landslide Edition

Photo: European Union/ Etienne Ansotte
Frans Timmermans topped the Euro elections poll. Photo: European Union, 2018 / Etienne Ansotte

In this week’s podcast we try to unravel the logic behind the European election debate featuring two men who weren’t in the running but not the leader of the winning party, the blunder that led to hundreds of children being sent to the wrong secondary school, and the end-of-season football relegation play-offs. Duncan Laurence’s Eurovision victory inspires an archetypal Dutch discussion about splitting the bill, Erik Wiebes triggers rumblings of discontent in Groningen and another VVD minister, Mark Harbers, resigns in a row over statistics. We also discuss justice minister Ferd Grapperhaus’s plan to bring the laws on sexual assault up to date.

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Ophef of the week: Eurovision presenter burns Madonna and riles (some) colleagues

Top story

Rutte v Baudet debate prompts flood of votes for Timmermans

News

Asylum minister Mark Harbers resigns in row over crime statistics

Hundreds of 12-year-olds given wrong school advice

Groningen hit by 3.4 earthquake as gas extraction impact continues

Cities begin lobbying to stage next year’s Eurovision – but there’ll be no public cash

Sport

KNVB ditches end-of-season Eredivisie relegation play-offs

Discussion: Reforming rape laws

Dutch get tough on sex crimes and sexual intimidation online

New sexual assault law must make sex without consent and sexual intimidation offences (KRO, Dutch)

Dutch government page outlining justice minister’s proposals (Dutch)

The current law explained (Dutch)

And if that was a bit heavy, here’s Tucker the labrador reacting to a head massager:

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