I do appreciate the interesting dynamic of having the socialist party be the most prominent euro-skeptic party. Certainly very different than most countries in that respect.

That being said, I'm pretty sure the VVD will win both a plurality and be able to craft a proper coalition. Other than a few errant polls and extra media coverage I am unconvinced about the credibility of the left shift.

Most of my time in the Netherlands was in Maastricht. Do you think it would be more or less politically conservative than an average Dutch town?

But who knows... if you aren't Dutch you don't know much.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ882QYzr-M

We saw all of you Maastricht people on TV the other night, singing to the music of Andre Rieu. Such coziness. :-)

Lol I can't watch these movies right now but I suppose everyone's doing a good job laughing about my country a bit.

Friendly Sword! I never knew you'd spent time in Holland are you Dutch?

Maastricht I guess is more conservative than the rest of the country. I share your analysis.

So what did you do in Maastricht and did you like it? I've been there a few times, it's a nice city as far as I could tell.

Lol Mujus. André Rieu is a bit over the top for my taste.

I love the Netherlands! Holland -> Netherlands is my favorite country strategy in EU3.

The Dutch are dissatified with the EU and dissatified with austerity. Only 56% now support the EU (a big drop) and 70%+ want stimulus and fewer cuts. The Socialist Party are ex-"Maoist". But apparently they've turned into slightly leftish social democrats. Anyway it is good that the left is rising andd Geert Wilders racist demagoguery is not getting much play this time around. Maybe the Dutch have grown up.

"Wenn Holland nicht wär, läg Münster am Meer."

...

:D

Isn't Maastrict the town plagued by drug tourist crime?

If the VVD gets another coalition and implement the same old policies they may well find themselves having to leave the Binnenhof via helicopter.

@PE: I have no idea what that means.

@Putin33: Yeah, but what do the statistics mean? Do 56% want the EU, and 44% not want it? Or do the 44% want a more modest EU? We see that the introduction of the euro was finally an overambitious problem and I believe the Dutch pose legitimate question whether this overstretch does not apply to more facets of the EU.

I regret to see the left rising and I believe that the SP leader is too light-weight although the social democrats have a leader who appears intelligent (although a poor strategist IMHO). I believe Holland is pretty much a left-wing paradise as it is, but agree with you that Wilders losing traction in our society is a good thing. I'd even say that Wilders' disappearance would be worth more to me than a landslide for the other RW parties.

"Maybe the Dutch have grown up."
-That's not very likely.

*project, not problem.

The fact is a 25% drop in EU support is a big deal, especially in the heart of the Eurozone. You can quibble about what polls mean all you want, but that'a seismic drop almost overnight. Your politics are probably on the fringe of Dutch society. Evidently people aren't as satisfied as you. Austerity politics is not working in Europe and actually dragging down the entire global economy.

Anything with Ed O'Neill, I'm a fan.

The Dutch invented gin, which gives them a special place in my heart.

Who's Ed O'Neill?

I'd rather eat pine than drink gin, and yet they taste the same.

Actually, Invictus, I recently had some gin that was made in bourbon barrels. Tastes as bad as it sounds but I'm sure you'd love it.

I think there are more Ducth/ Belgian people on this website than you think!
Luctor et emergo!

I gues Redhouse is right that the political landscape would be looking better when Wilders leaves the Hague.

Eating pine and drinking gin is the same taste? Putin33, all depends on the right mixing values with tonic. Oh yeah, the quality of the Gin is of as much importance!

EU3 is Europa Universalis 3, redhouse. It's a grand strategy computer game set in the Renaissance/colonial/Enlightenment eras - worldwide, but definitely Eurocentric. I love playing as Holland, uniting the Netherlands and doing chill Dutch things.

There's gin and gin. Friends of mine who drink the stuff tend to favour Plymouth Gin over the truly ghastly London Gin, but I find it all undrinkable unless plenty of sloes and sugar have worked their magic on it.

Speaking of which, it's sloe picking season pretty soon. Huzzah!

Not agian a Dutch topic... ah well.

n Pronkjewail in golden raand
is Grunnen Stad en Ommeland!

People who dislike gin because they think it tastes like pine needles tend to be two kinds of people. The first, from my experience, are girls. At least until some gentleman makes them a perfect gimlet, that is. The second group are guys who don't really like drinking. You know, the kind of guy who sincerely doesn't like Guinness and goes to wine tasting events where they spit the stuff out.

Octavious is right, there really are two kinds of gin. Good and bad. Gordon's is good and cheap. Others are better (like Tanqueray and Hendrick's), and Bombay Sapphire probably makes the best gin & tonic, but none of them are better enough to warrant the higher price, really. Save the money for your whiskey.

I would agree that gin aged (obviously not "made") in bourbon barrels sounds pretty awful. Worth trying, though.

I'm genuinely surprised Putin33 has such a low opinion of this wonderful Dutch creation. It is, after all, the tradition drink of the English working class.

Typical fratboy. Immediately calls anybody who doesn't like their drinks a girl, as if macho posturing had any effect. My wife loves gin & tonics, and she's the one who made me try the bourbon aged gin and go to the local distillery that made it. So try again.

As for me having to like something that a long time ago was the drink of the English working class, that was back when it was cheap. Who can afford $30 bottles for something that doesn't even taste good. Anyway, if I'm going to go for an English drink like that, I'd take a Pimms cup. Much better tasting and half the price of a Tangeray bottle. Even if the former does have the reputation of being bourgeois.

I said from my experience. That's my experience. Gin is also not fratty at all, so the fratboy comment is ridiculous. I've also graduated.

Gordon's by me is usually around $20, often less, for a fifth. That's about as cheap as hard liquor gets before you get down to bum wine and well vodka. If you can't afford to drop a twenty for about 17 shots then, frankly, you should drink less.

Gin does taste good. You just need to get used to it. Like any alcohol.

Gordon's is also probably the worst tasting gin there is.

Sometimes I think you oppose things just because I support them.

and all of this because someone didn't like the taste of their quinine. better then malaria though.