New party for pitiable older citizens

The Dutch politician Jan Nagel has founded the 50 Plus party, which aims to protect the rights of citizens over the age of 50 and above all their pensions. A good idea, particularly as this generation has been so sorely neglected, columnist Bert Wagendorp comments ironically in the left-liberal daily De Volkskrant: "Until recently we used to hear different things about this baby boom generation: they pulled all the strings, lined their pockets, owned canal houses and spent the good times in their little farmhouses in Burgund. On the most recent Volkskrant list of the 200 most influential Dutch citizens the first person under 50 ranks 19th (and is already 49). But that doesn't mean anything. … We are talking about victims of injustice and arbitrariness here, doubly disadvantaged and severely punished. And for what? Because they're over 50 and have spent all their lives reconstructing the country. Could anything be more unfair? No. And that's why it's a good thing that we have Jan Nagel. Jan Nagel is the Robin Hood of the grey wave. He steals from the young and gives his booty to the poor old people."

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