strange, this is hugely different from Verhagen's views before the PVV became such an important part of the current coalition. now he knows needs them, and the CDA needs votes, so he speaks out of both sides of his face! and this is the way a country once know for tolerance and open mindedness becomes a racist closed little culture that is now losing it's place of importance in the new global environment.

By Bill | June 28, 2011 2:20 PM

Scary. So now the (rather unchristian) CDA is joining the racist bandwagon. Verhagen, I would have hoped would have been above such behaviour. Yet another shameful step in a very dangerous direction.

By Andy | June 28, 2011 3:00 PM

We have to be honest about such things. When I went to Japan I experienced a subtle distance by the Japanese. It's natural

By Peter | June 28, 2011 3:19 PM

I'm a foreign construction worker who has made NL my home. I am not taking work away from anyone! I like many others am filling a gap in the labour market. I also speak fluent Dutch & am the only foriegner at the local firm where I work.
If the Government want to takle the problem they must find a way to make construction more attractive to 18yr olds.
"Bouwvaaker is niet sexy" was a headline several years ago in one of the daily papers.
This is typical, lets get some foreigners to do the work we don't want to do, then blame them for stealing all the work!

By Donaugh | June 28, 2011 3:28 PM

This trend increasingly reminds me of South Park (they took our jeeerbs), only the consequences are not going to be quite as comical..

By Dimitris | June 28, 2011 3:29 PM

Dear Mr Verhagen,
Please try and remember that people do terrifying things when they are 'frightened'.

By Lisa | June 28, 2011 3:35 PM

If the average Dutchman went to Church there would be no reason for concern, would there? This argument is full of hypocracy. The Dutch are not the least bit religious as a nation. I am excluding the bible belt which are still a minority. I am a non-practicing Roman Catholic and see how churches in Montréal have been replaced or turned into luxury lofts. Go with the flow people. Adjust, accept or do sth. Don't just bitch. The 21st is no time to put your heads in the sand like ostriches and that is exactly what you are doing. Moreover you (the Dutch) are creating ridiculous rules that nobody understands (not even the average Dutchman I would wager to bet).

By Michael | June 28, 2011 3:37 PM

It’s pretty scary that the current Deputy Prime Minister is saying that native Dutch worries about foreigners are 'understandable' and 'justified'. It is only understandable if you agree that ignorance is to be expected; natural, reasonable, or forgivable and only justified if you agree that xenophobia is done for a good or legitimate reason.
Holland is riding the slippery slope to fascism very quickly now if government officials at this level find it acceptable to be making statements such as this.

The world should boycott The Netherlands and all foreign influences, i.e., books, music, art, film, food, business, etc. and should become “100% Dutch” in The Netherlands. Won’t this be a fun place to live and work (not!).

By Quest | June 28, 2011 4:16 PM

From Erasmus of Rotterdam: "He who allows oppression shares the crime."

BTW, what's up with DutchNews.NL continuing to disallow comments on certain articles - did the editor not hear that freedom of speech was (narrowly) upheld last week with the acquittal of Wilders?

By Comedian Harmonist | June 28, 2011 4:18 PM

It is better to loose ground than to loose ones soul. Minister Verhagen can't distance himself from populism and at the same time open the door for it. This is the wrong way to go it is unacceptable and dangerous. Verhagen should learn how this policy changed the Danes. A little group of populists are setting the agenda for all parties in Denmark.

By Rina | June 28, 2011 4:49 PM

Such a statement leads one to argue that, therefore, dislike and rejection of Dutch values and culture by foreigners is also understandable and justified. We don't want to be integralists, but we should not be blind to what drives increased foreign dislike for Dutch society.It should not be offensive or unmentionable to criticize and dislike an increasingly xenophobic Dutch society...

By Leon | June 28, 2011 4:52 PM

This website is the biggest propaganda website for the dutch negative sentiments against foreigners. Why the hell you have to post this BS everyday ? and create hate n all ?

By maverick | June 28, 2011 5:14 PM

CDA getting desperate. This once mighty party is losing more and more support.

By pepe | June 28, 2011 5:21 PM

so what do they want to do to us ???(ex-pats)

By Lincoln Loggs | June 28, 2011 5:35 PM

After reading the full speech on NRC I am even more shocked and disgusted that Verhagen is suggesting that intolerance of foreigners is a way of standing up to populism. That would be like saying it was 'understandable' and 'justified' to kill a few million Jews and others if you were trying to stand up to the Nazi party -- crazy! When will Europe learn that this sort of hate only breeds more hate.

By Quest | June 28, 2011 6:00 PM

Re: Maverick

It is also the lead story on the NRC website today. I think it particularly relevant that an english language news publication focus on news regarding Dutch policy towards foreigners. Keep it up DutchNews.nl!

By craig | June 28, 2011 6:23 PM

There are things worth defending in the NL. Many of the immigrants are from a conservative religious society, NL people have to be honest with themselves. You can not tolerate the intolerance that comes with conservative religious people. That being said the children of the people from other countries that are here should be woven into dutch society as dutch people. You guys need to defend your way of life because much of the rest of the world is wretched, including the promised land of the USA.

By edmund | June 28, 2011 6:58 PM

Netherlands needs immigrants as labor force. If they stop immigration, labor force will go down because of low fertility rate of dutch people.

By emre | June 28, 2011 8:26 PM

To all "highly-skilled" immigrants: I think it is about time you guys leave NL; there are many countries in the world that would appropriate your skills and would not discriminate against you. Why stay in a place that hates you so much? Why give them money for study when they want to kick you out asap? Why help their economy? I think we should over experiences public so students and highly skilled people think see two sides of the story.

By Murat | June 28, 2011 8:58 PM

So when you have kicked out all the Polish,Turks,Morrocans etc, who will be doing the real work.

By Frederick William Dines | June 28, 2011 10:12 PM

So there is concern that there is no integration, and concern that immigrants would take jobs that Dutch people would work. But fact is that only when he integrates, foreigner can take job from the Dutch person. Clearly there is a problem, and Dutch people need to decide what they want. It is up to people like Minister to offer something smart, helpful and visionary, not to gloat about the problem...

By passerby | June 28, 2011 10:49 PM

He is not jumping on the racist bandwagon at all.He has been on it the day he decided to do a deal with Wilder's.Holland's future is grim.And not just for us Johnny foreigners.

By Jason | June 28, 2011 11:07 PM

In a nation of world explorers it's quite funny to see this implanted concern against foreign cultures. Even more to see fears over possible mosques while there are hundreds of big yellow M's all over and nobody feel invaded... and probably don't even get the parallel. This is the corporatist power.

By Werner | June 28, 2011 11:15 PM

same as craig's comment: I'm so glad to see what is REALLY happening inside the Netherlands in English so that all the world can read it and see it. This is the only thing that will create a positive change in this country - pressure from the outside world. Great job DutchNews.nl! keep up the good work, and thank you

By Bill | June 29, 2011 6:32 AM

This is a trend in ALL countries around the world, especially those that have a strong and/or stable economy. And it is understandable as you are also dealing with national pride and in many cases security. And as long as individuals who emigrate do not assimilate the intolerance will only deepen. Logical, period.

By Dirk | June 29, 2011 7:47 AM

When in Rome do as the Romans do...... It's an old saying, but generally works. In my opinion it's those who don't integrate who have or can cause problems. As far as I'm concerned the more cultures, the merrier, however I believe you must integrate and embrace/respect the culture in which you live. Then you can add a little flavour of your own. I think the problems start if you don't integrate and build your own little island within a different culture. I don't believe there's anything facist about asking people to integrate. I also feel that there are many immigrants doing jobs that the locals don't want to do. The locals should be happy about this and also respectful.

By Maria | June 29, 2011 7:49 AM

First, the Dutch are MOST afraid of their native born dark skinned people, calls to boot the latter out make this country sound like a KKK rally from time to time & no one wears the hood prouder than a Dutch politician.

Second, it is understandable that 'normal people' fear foreigners (not just Muslims) because for 10 years most of Western civilization has been under a fraudulent terror war against people in the Middle East and beyond.

Third, since the Dutch decline in military and economic influence has been a centuries long afair, it's no wonder people expect their country to keep sinking. It clearly is - but the black man ain't to blame, for that look closer to home.

By Geert Van Leeuwen | June 29, 2011 8:33 AM

I suppose people project themselves on to others. Dutch fear that the way they/european colonialists destroyed cultures around the world is coming back to bite them in the ass now.

By Sunny | June 29, 2011 8:33 AM

Why do I keep hearing that "Multi-culturalism has failed"? We've only been going at it since the time of passenger airline travel... say... 50 years at most? Why just give up? There's no stopping it - with how technology has developed, it's the way our planet is now. As soon as these politicians realize that you can't go back in time, hopefully they'll have the courage to find a REAL solution, not just try to frighten all the foreigners away.

By Jitterboogie | June 29, 2011 12:49 PM

Originally, the Dutch Republic set the tempo for the modern world. European cities followed the 'Randstad' model to develop their communities based on specialization. Moreover, in order to compete Dutch Republic took in peoples from Europe emphasizing tolerance amongst them (religious and racial tolerance) because they needed workers. The basis of the model is still followed today.
We have a choice either send them home or wait and see how things unfold. We are at the edge of Europe there is no where else for us to go - why not send them back. Our ancestors moved west to escape these peoples; more importantly, our ancestors died for us.
They come here but we can't go there.

By William | June 29, 2011 1:20 PM

It is quite understandable for the CDA party leader to speak up on the issue of foreigners, after a host of EU heads have recently said that multiculturalism has failed, reflecting the realities on the ground. For most politicians and the media multiculturalism has just been an experiment and that has unravelled itself, with them making the most of it when their multi cultural football national teams won the football world cup and are now ready to disown it when their party has suffered electoral losses. The capacity for change in any country and its acceptance to something unfamiliar has always been limited. My guess is that the dutch will feel more safe behind the dikes in the coming years.

By Athithi | June 29, 2011 2:10 PM

The phobic comments, such as the one made by Geert Van Leeuwen are obviously supporting global government.

Dirk, supported by Maria hit the nail on the head and in my opinion are representing the silent majority of the population.

Phobic attacks coming from the left, as seen by many responses, become more obvious when you can read between the lines their failure to assimilate.

By Hank Kemp | June 29, 2011 2:27 PM

Something that should, (hopefully), put all this nonsense into context for those people who seem to have forgotten what happened in the past from those of us who can't!

It began with name calling...
http://oneoffproductions101.tumblr.com/

By Historian | June 29, 2011 3:19 PM

I have read all comments on this article but i saw no one mentioned the most important fact : why immigrants are in NL ? (i say immigrants because we came here for work possibilities no metter how is the color of your skin or which religion u believe in it) NL let them came in in the 80's to have some one cleaning their toilets or collect the garbage an all these kind of works, and now they want them kick them off because they are scare of them and they practice they religions ? why this country is changing so badly ? why the nice multi-culturar aspect of the Dutch society is disappearing and is transforming in apartheid?

By plasmo | June 29, 2011 6:29 PM

People are people, regardless of where they were born, what color their skin is, or whatever religion. All deserve respect.

Immigrants live in ghetto's and Swedes/Brits will move out of an entire street if one coloured person or muslim moves in.

Tolerance in Sweden/Britain is an illusion.

The problem isn't immigrants not adapting to British culture, it's Brits showing much disrespect and scorn to those who are of any immigrant background. even if an immigrant was well versed in English, knew the customs etc. would they still get employment? No. Would Brits treat them as a decent human? No.

So why would they want to assimilate into a culture that is constantly tearing them down?
IA
http://www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk

By Iftikhar Ahmad | June 29, 2011 8:46 PM

I respect Dutch culture because i am living and working here but i cannot leave my Asian culture where i brought up. Do you think Netherlanders had left their culture while living in Saudi Arabia and India.

By Amjad Butt | June 29, 2011 9:29 PM

By:By Donaugh | June 28, 2011 3:28 PM
I also speak fluent Dutch & am the only foriegner at the local firm where I work.
But still cannot splell.... Bouwvakker

By Teddy: | June 30, 2011 12:36 AM

Sorry, I'm always suspicious of someone who pipes up and claims to know what the “silent majority” thinks or what a “real” Dutch or American, etc., thinks. My question for them: On what day did you acquire the power to read minds? Only a person who senses his position is weak resorts to invoking a “silent majority” for support. Convenient that it can never be proven nor disproven, isn't it, Hank?

By J. | June 30, 2011 11:50 AM

I have lived in NL for almost three years and in general I find the Dutch likeable people who, like most human beings, respond to friendliness with an equal amount in return. I have the impression that, on the whole, the majority of Dutch are smart enough to see through populistic rhetoric.

By Alan | June 30, 2011 7:21 PM