International

'The peasants have seized power',' wrote Ilja Pfeijffer in response to the election results of 22nd November 2006. According to the well-known poet, these elections, which saw the SP's parliamentary strength increase in one leap from nine seats to twenty-five, had brought to power narrow-minded provincials at the expense of the free-thinking and right-minded section of the nation. It was no coincidence that the victors had, a year earlier, made possible 'the ridiculous and xenophobic result of the referendum on Europe.' There is something exceptional in the air when such a renowned poet lowers himself to use such unpoetic language Or when friends from the left such as Green Left chair Femke Halsema or the progressive philosopher Dick Pels see a connection between the SP's electoral success and increasing racism. Just as remarkable is the taking up of cudgels by members of the present government against what they choose to call the 'anti-European and nationalist' opinions of the SP.

Brussels – The building firm Gal-Met was found to have paid a Polish worker employed in Denmark less than the rate agreed under the collective labour agreement generally held to prevail for his trade in that sector. With the support of both the trades union and the Danish courts, the firm employing the worker was obliged to make up the difference, a total of €11,000. The firm, however, refused to let the matter lie, and thanks to a legal pretext employed by a Polish judge, saw the unfortunate worker forced to repay the money.