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Zeeman, Michaël
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4 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.
European elections: MEPs allow themselves to be restricted
There is a low level of interest in the European elections, journalist Michael Zeeman writes in the left-liberal daily De Volkskrant. Indifference and ignorance are the reasons for this, he concludes, and writes that the MEPs are also to blame: "The past six months marked by the financial crisis have shown that European politics works only at a governmental level when there is a real problem to be tackled. The European Parliament is pushed to one side; it isn't even asked to give its approval. The strange thing is that the [Dutch] leading candidates apparently think this is wonderful. They make no mention of it. The removal of borders between the states of the EU has created a new space. … The resulting supra-national space is used too little rather than too much. But the politicians who should be making sure it is exploited, the Euro-MPs, allow their national party leaders to restrict their actions."
» full article (external link, Dutch)
More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Europe
Hypocrisy over Geert Wilders' denied entry to the UK
The British government has denied Dutch right-wing populist Geert Wilders entry to the UK, where he was to show his anti-Islam film Fitna on the invitation of the House of Lords. Michaël Zeeman comments on the outrage that the decision has provoked in the Netherlands: "Freedom of opinion ... is better exacted from foreign countries than from one's own. ... Just imagine if someone had invited the right-wing populist Austrian politician Jörg Haider to a parliamentary or an extra-parliamentary function. Would the reactions have been the same? I can still remember vividly how relations with Austria hung by a thread when he was voted into office by the covertly-fascist yodlers with hunting caps, and cooperation with his supporters in the European Parliament had to be cancelled. Would Wilders be allowed to invite Jean-Marie Le Pen to an evening viewing slides in the Dutch parliament? ... The enthusiasm with which criticism is now being meted out conceals an unbearably hypocritical element. The upstanding citizens of today are yesterday's bootlickers."
» full article (external link, Dutch)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Weltanschauung, » United Kingdom, » Netherlands
The Dutch and online insults
Dutch websites and blogs are full of threats and insults. According to one study this is a unique phenomenon in Europe. The daily newspaper De Volkskrant writes that it is evidence of a continued and shameful trend in Dutch history: "A glance at the anonymous receipts of the Dutch, who during the Nazi occupation would greedily betray their Jewish neighbours for the sake of a few extra German marks ... points to the old and revoltingly cowardly tradition these angry bloggers are following: the Dutch, a nation of anonymous sneaks and insulters who are too narrow-minded to put their own names behind their sickening opinions. But they are not alone in this. Because just as the officials asked no questions back then, the web masters are now refusing to take action and defend themselves by claiming that anonymous insults, mobbing and slander against people whose names and positions are known is simply part of Internet culture."
» full article (external link, Dutch)
More from the press review on the subject » Online media, » Netherlands
Media coverage under fire
In the Dutch daily De Volkskrant, columnist Michael Zeeman sharply criticises the state broadcaster NPS's coverage of the Democrats' convention in Denver. "Is this the state we're in when we leave school? A combination of memory loss and undiscriminating admiration? ... I'm not too keen on perfectly orchestrated and filmed party conferences held in stadiums - and anyway, semantically speaking there is not such a great difference between 'yes, we can' and the 'Triumph of the Will'. If you ask me, the organisers of the convention have been watching a bit too much Leni Riefenstahl. The same cannot, however, be said of the two panting psychopaths NPS sent as 'reporters' to cover the event. They were 'in favour of it' and made this abundantly clear. Is it any wonder that trust in the established media is diminishing?"
» full article (external link, Dutch)
More from the press review on the subject » Audiovisual Media, » Netherlands, » U.S.
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