Staff at the Dutch cultural institute in Paris, the Institut Neerlandais, have begun a petition to the queen against the closure of the organisation because of budget cuts.

The foreign affairs ministry said last week it will stop funding the institute to the tune of €2m a year from 2015 and wants the Dutch embassy in Paris to take over its role.
Staff are angry the decision was taken during the parliamentary recess and while the government is supposed to do no more than mind the shop ahead of the election.
MPs from the CDA and D66 have also urged foreign minister Uri Rosenthal to reconsider.