The Dutch papers take a close look at what Merkel and Sarkozy are saying about the Eurozone. There’s an apology from The Hague - 64 years after the event - and the Dutch are schizophrenic about Santa.
The joint statement by Germany and France on the euro crisis is the story of the day. Mind you, only De Telegraaf actually gives it front-page treatment. Its take on the issue couldn’t be clearer: “Brussels, the boss” reads the paper’s headline.
The Netherlands and the other 16 Eurozone countries are to be tied to Brussels’ apron strings if Chancellor Merkel and President Sarkozy get their way, De Telegraaf warns ominously. The German and French leaders are pushing for a new treaty to give the European Commission power to dole out “stiff fines” to Eurozone countries which break EU budget rules, we are told.
De Telegraaf reckons EU leaders who are holding a summit later this week have been jolted into action by the threat of lower commercial credit ratings for European countries. It says that, if they fail to agree convincing measures at the summit, even the stronger economies of the Netherlands and Germany may see their credit ratings cut.
The big picture
De Volkskrant looks at the wider picture in a two-page spread on the euro crisis story and, incidentally, runs no less than six photographs of Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy shaking hands on various occasions from 2009 to the present day.
The paper thinks that Mr Sarkozy is facing a “devil of a job” in having to do business with the Germans while not raising the fears of his already uneasy domestic audience. The French, the paper explains, are frightened of losing their sovereignty and, we’re reminded, French elections are looming.
Meanwhile, German voters are also said to be uncomfortable with their new role as undisputed leaders of Europe. De Volkskrant explains that, “saddled with its past”, the new Germany cannot be seen to dominate Europe, even if it has to take on the role of leader.
AD brings us back home with its coverage of the story, saying that Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is emerging as “one of the most faithful allies of Angela Merkel, currently Europe’s most powerful leader”. Wherever he goes, it’s almost as if he brings “Frau Nein” along with him.
To prove its point, the paper says Mr Rutte delivered Mrs Merkel’s firm message to Italy, when he visited his Italian counterpart Mario Monti yesterday. The PM, presumably in a tone of Teutonic severity, apparently told Mr Monti that Italy had to deliver on its planned economic reforms as quickly as possible.
Read RNW's coverage of this story
1947 massacre: sorry
It has taken the Netherlands 64 years to issue an official apology for the massacre at the Indonesian village of Rawagede in 1947, says nrc.next. The surviving relatives of the victims – the Dutch say 150 were killed and the Indonesians, 431 – will each receive 20,000 euros in compensation from the Dutch state.
The massacre was perpetrated by Dutch forces fighting to hold on to Indonesia, which was still a colony of the Netherlands back then. Nrc.next points out that the compensation comes too late for Saih Bin Sakam, the only male resident of the village to escape death in 1947. He died last year aged 88.
“Widows of Rawagede pleased with apology” reads Trouw’s inside-page headline. The paper explains the Dutch move followed a ruling by a court in The Hague. The judges decided the state couldn’t claim that the massacre had happened too far in the past to merit an official apology and the payment of compensation.
Trouw makes the point that the Netherlands has already paid out 850,000 euros in development aid to Rawagede - now known as Balongsari. It says the latest development may well lead to further damages claims on behalf of other victims of Dutch forces during the fight for Indonesian independence.
Schizophrenic Dutch
Finally, we come full circle, with another front-page article in De Telegraaf. This time it’s on the almost schizophrenic feeling the Dutch have around this time of year.
Although Saint Nicholas (Sinterklaas in Dutch) hasn’t even left the country yet (after distributing presents to Dutch children last night), we’ve apparently already started buying christmas flowers netherlands trees ready for the advent of his rival, Father Christmas.
The paper says one in four of us will be heading to garden centres and the like in the next few days to acquire a tree. But, before we get carried away, it warns that getting the tree up and decorated leads to family squabbles.
Research shows that 49 percent of us fall out over problems with the Christmas-tree lights, 17 percent kick up a fuss after finding pine needles all over the place and that 11 percent simply think the tree is too much bother.
These facts could explain why decorating the christmas flowers netherlands blogs tree can’t, as far as De Telegraaf’s concerned, be described as a “family activity”. It seems women are left to decorate the tree by themselves in 60 percent of cases. Poor Mum!
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