International

Never before has a demonstration in Brussels had such a rapid effect. On the same day that 20,000 steelworkers from across Europe took to the streets of Brussels to protest against the dumping of Chinese steel on the European market, the European Commission proposed fresh measures to counteract it. In addition, thanks to a motion proposed in the national Parliament in The Hague by Socialist Party MP Sharon Gesthuizen, the Netherlands will be obliged on this occasion to cooperate in bringing about the proposed measures.

Each year after the government has presented its programme for the coming period, which in this case will end in March with the general election, parties in both houses of the Netherlands’ Parliament present and debate their response. Today was the turn of the upper house, with SP Senate leader Tiny Kox launching a blistering attack on the government’s record.