The situation in the Netherlands has dramatically changed in the recent period. From the period of “consensus” politics we now have a very polarised situation, with an aggressive ruling class facing a growingly militant working class. In these conditions the Socialist Party has emerged as a sizeable force to the left of the Labour Party.
The recent local elections
in the Netherlands revealed a significant shift to the left taking
place in Dutch society. This confirms what we said in the past, that
the temporary rise of the Fortuyn list would be followed by an
equally sharp shift to the left. The Netherlands is not immune from
the developing class struggle on a world level.
The Netherlands used to be the most politically boring country in Europe. It was dominated by extreme
"political correctness", the very existence of problems was denied and there was a suffocating
culture of "consensus". After the killing in May of Pim Fortuyn, the flamboyant far-right demagogue,
the Dutch people have woken up to a completely new country.