hanneke

so sorry… :-)

hey, dear Howard,
Well, eventful and busy week, so it’s been a bit quiet from me, sorry! Would you care for a *short* update? I’ll make a list for you.

nbsp;

- municipal elections, and following the disastrous results, the leader of the SP Agnes Kant calls it a day in an absolutely dramatic, heartbreaking press conference.

- Balkenende almost immediately announces he is “going for gold”, will not accept a seat in parliament if he’s not elected PM. We don’t elect PM’s, only representatives in the Room. Row ensues, but PM isn’t recalled by CDA party bozo’s.

- in Rotterdam, results for PvdA and right-wing party Leefbaar (Livable) Rotterdam are down to a few hundred votes difference, but PvdA is declared winner – to lead negotiations for council formation. Leefbaar livid, starts rumour campaign of falsifications and dirty sneers – “are we Florida on the Maas??” (..hm); much a-do ensues and a formal, secure recount is decided upon. PVV The Hague also discovers video’s of malversations and presumed election fraud – a week after the fact. Mostly Muslems that are standing with two people in one voting booth (son helping father etc), which is not allowed (all are to vote their concience unhelped). Remarkably, PVV Almere (were they got biggest) has seen no such problems.

- quality of the debate, as you might guess with all these “frank and open” speakers here, is going completely down the drain.

- there is an *urgent debate* in the Room over a free glossy magazine insert, featuring minister for Agriculture Gerda Verburg in leather pants, carrying a whip; all very innocent, but it makes wonderful fodder for commentary. The glossy – an agricultural promotion, but seeming to be, in these times, a Gerda Verburg/CDA election special – was paid for with government money, which is not allowed. The Room almost unanimously decides on a Motion of Sadness. (omg, we actually *have* those in our parlementary repertoire???)

- was this yesterday?? — the appointed second man of the christian party, Camile Eurlings, announced he is leaving politics, so he can spend more time with his girl friend. (note for our American readers; yes, this senior (I think Catholic) christian politician has a girlfriend, not a wife) News is unexpected and amazing, as Eurlings is more popular and “believable” than his boss Balkenende.

- yesterday evening, even bigger news, as Hans van Mierlo dies at age 78. This is the nestor of Dutch liberal-left politics, considered the JFK of Holland – as he was young and full of brilliance in the late 60ties. Quotes of him right now strike home like a bomb as he was talking then about all the things that matter now. Huge, sad news.

- today, results of the Rotterdam recount come in: PvdA has even more votes than was assumed earlier. (+100 nanananana) But the news is *completely* snowed under by the bombshell news of Wouter Bos, who announced he is stepping back as well, so he can spend more time with his 3 young children. This is my guy, the one I was offering to trade your guy for; my hero of 2002, also known as Superman; saviour of the Dutch financial system in 2008.

- tweets a well-known journalist: “people what is happening here!” Another: “Rollercoastaahhh!”

- the new party leader who is appointed at 12 is Job Cohen, current major of Amsterdam; he gave a press conference at 3 pm which sounded full-grown Obamian. Perfect speech; had all the right key words for me – and lots of other people were thinking the same. The twitterverse keyed the slogan: Yes We Cohen. I’d like to add: HOPE – O’Cohen ’10! 

- although we don’t *do* voting for presidents, after Balkenende wanting to be elected directly, we now have a fitting candidate to oppose him for that position – but it seems the battle will be between Cohen and Wilders – deftly squeezing the CDA out of the picture, hihi. Such is politics, and we saw it is GOOD – as a secret surprise pact between CDA and PVV can not succeed if CDA can’t get the biggest.

- two politicians stepping down to spend more time with their families. The jokes are flying. Many people are wishing Wilders could start a family, so he could feel the need to spend more time there. Conservative party leader Mark Rutte, a rather young batchelor – he’s next to step down, to spend more time with his mother. Oh, *this just in*: rumor is that Bos will start a family with Eurlings, *obviously*. People are suggesting others to wish many kids upon – like that darn wrong lane skate coach? Now everything’s going so fast, it is expected that the Queen will step down later this evening, to spend more time with the grandchildren… the President of the Dutch Bank will follow come Monday… etc.

nbsp;

So I hope I’ve given you an idea of the whirlwind we’re in here. Or in Dutch, more familiar with nautical terms: the whirlpool.

fokke & sukke were totally *hot* on top of events, earlier today – amazing close deadline work:

Fokke & Sukke put in 140 hrs a week in their family
(typical Amsterdam canal-belt children transportation device)

Jesus, Wouter. – You are soo going to regret this!

nbsp;

*Extremely* exiting times (a bit scarily so). But – I am hopeful; Job Cohen DID sound awesome today, and twitter mood and ratings are going the right way – eh, the left way – ah, well, never mind :=-) We got ourselves a good ‘un!
—————————–
HOPE O’Cohen ’10 :-)