International

“The tenor of the new coalition agreement is better than it was for Mr Balkenende’s previous cabinets, but there’s no sign of any real change in policy.” This was SP leader Jan Marijnissen’s conclusion after reading the “regeerakkoord”, the detailed plans drawn up by the three parties which have now agreed to form a government together: the Christian Democrats (CDA), Labour (PvdA) and the much smaller Christian Union. “Some fine ambitions are expressed, for example regarding neighbourhoods with a range of problems. But when it comes to how these aims are to be achieved, the accord sticks for the most part to a familiar path. So we’re still going to have market-working in health care; as far as that’s concerned we’re seeing absolutely no change of direction. Premier Balkenende is shifting the emphasis in a number of places, but the broad line consists above all in maintaining the same course.”

SP Member of Parliament Krista van Velzen, recently named by animal welfare organisations in the Netherlands as "animal defender of the year", says that she is "delighted" by Agriculture Minister Cees Veerman's decision to ban the import of seal fur and other seal products. “Almost two years ago I proposed a motion asking for such a ban," Ms Van Velzen said. "Unfortunately both the VVD (right-wing Liberals) and PvdA (Labour) voted against, on purely technical grounds. This was politics with a small 'p' indeed, but as a result we've had to wait two years for a ban to be effected, which leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.”