Dutch Press Review Monday 14 May 2012
Today’s papers look abroad for news, to Greek coalition chaos and Spain’s anti-capitalist protests. Meanwhile, we’re told the Netherlands is not part of ‘casino capitalism’ and we’re treated to a sad story of consolation rejected.
Greece – and Europe – faces chaos
The papers all go with different leads today. Some look to Greece for their headlines. “Wild scenario threatens Athens” is how de Volkskrant sees events there. The paper devotes almost the whole of its front page to an analysis of the situation.
It forecasts little success for President Karolos Papoulias’ ongoing attempt to facilitate the forming a government coalition. He hopes a coalition will carry through the reforms and cutbacks agreed with the European Union and the IMF. The paper echoes the two institutions’ fears that Greek bankruptcy could lead to a “devastating domino effect in the rest of Europe”.
Greece is in its fifth successive year of recession, explains de Volkskrant, and this is only being made worse by the cuts. The paper thinks the left-wing Syriza bloc has positioned itself well in the coalition talks, showing itself to be a serious political force against the hated cuts package. The paper reckons Syriza will emerge with the most seats if a second Greek election is held.
Under its leadership, Greece would face an “uncertain future”, says the paper, in what sounds like an understatement. The country would be set for withdrawal from the euro, no new foreign loans for years, more companies going bankrupt and the risk of runs on the banks. New Greek elections will mean yet more insecurity for the rest of Europe, the paper also concludes.
“Banking world reckons on Greek exit”, says De Telegraaf in a front-page column. At the weekend, the European Central Bank apparently started working out what the financial effects would be of Greece leaving the single currency. De Telegraaf pulls no punches about the effects of such a move on Greece itself, which would “be thrown back into the Middle Ages”.
The paper reminds us that EU tax payers would also lose tens of billions in loans to Greece which would remain unpaid. The paper ominously points out that Greece isn’t the only place where political parties are doing well after positioning themselves against recent EU austerity measures. German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s CDU party has just been dealt a heavy blow in provincial elections in North Rhine-Westphalia by parties advocating fewer cuts.
Indignant demonstrators
Trouw also looks abroad today, but the view is of Spain. Almost half of the front page is taken up by a photograph showing a struggling demonstrator being dragged away from a Madrid square by no less than four police officers.
The Spanish demonstrations are marking the anniversary of “indignant” protests which began on 15 May last year. Those protests grew into the global Occupy movement.
Trouw sketches the economic situation being faced by Spain: “nearly a quarter of the workforce is unemployed”, with the figure rising to half “among young people”. The continuing budget deficit has forced the government to implement billions of euros’ worth of social security, healthcare and education cutbacks. The paper says the authorities are worried that the latest protests could again, as with Occupy, become a permanent feature of Spanish cities.
“Spanish square movement is hatching alternatives” is de Volkskrant’s take on the story. “The economic and democratic system is falling apart. We can offer an alternative,” one protester tells the paper.
Some activists are calling on customers to close their accounts with the Bankia savings bank en masse. It got into difficulties following mass speculation on the housing market and has just been rescued by a massive government bailout. The paper asks whether the “monetary nightmare” of a run on the bank might actually happen.
Serene money
As if to calm our troubled minds in all the European economic chaos, today’s nrc.next leads with the news that wages in the Netherlands do not vary that much. While the world is racked by “casino capitalism”, the Dutch, we’re told smugly, enjoy “serene equality” as far as earnings go.
We are treated to a dizzyingly complex diagram, illustrating the findings of a report on earnings in 2010 by the Dutch Statistics Office (CBS). Huge blocks filled in with all the colours of the rainbow, try to simplify the numerical message: “the overwhelming majority of people earn a reasonable salary and so don’t pay much tax”. We are, apparently, “a country of middle incomes”.
Despite the fact that the top band of tax (52 percent) is paid on relatively low earnings (everything over 54,000 euros per year), only seven percent of the population earn enough to be taxed at this rate. Those seven percent do get paid nearly a quarter of all earnings but, argues nrc.next, that’s nothing compared to the United States.
There, the salaries of the top 10 percent equal half the total amount paid out in wages. The top 10 percent of earners in the Netherlands, the paper goes on to say, also foot the bill for 70 percent of the country’s total tax revenue. The paper doesn’t even bother to compare this with what goes on in the US.
Cheer up, dad
The photo on the front page of AD shows a little girl holding out her hand to a footballer who’s sitting dejected on the field. Both figures are wearing the blue and white shirts of De Graafschap soccer club from Doetinchem in the eastern Netherlands.
The paper tells us the touching story: “3-year-old Saar did her very best, but even she wasn’t able to cheer up her disillusioned father Rogier Meijer yesterday”. De Graafschap face relegation following their 1-1 draw against FC Den Bosch.
After the game, Meijer’s daughter walked onto the field to offer him “words of consolation”. Even these were not enough and the De Graafschap striker remained sitting “shaking his head and staring at the ground”.