DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

18 May 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

Support for traditional Piet declines, Dutch paper calls for a truce

November 23, 2017
Sinterklaas arriving by boat. Photo: Depositphotos.com

Support for the traditional blackface version of Zwarte Piet is declining and more people are now open to change, according to a poll of 55,000 people for television current affairs show EenVandaag.

The poll shows that 68% of the population back keeping Zwarte Piet black, while 26% are open to change. In 2013, the traditional version of Sinterklaas’ helper had 89% support, last year 74%.

At the same time, three-quarters of those polled said they could understand why supporters of the traditional Piet had stopped anti-demonstrators travelling to Dokkum this weekend by blocking the motorway.

Meanwhile, the AD newspaper devoted its Thursday front page to a call for a ‘Sinterklaas truce’.

‘We do not want to get involved in the Zwarte Piet discussion and we are certainly not taking a stance. We just want the discussions to take place at the right time and the right place,’ editor Hans Nijenhuis said in an open letter to readers.

‘But could we agree not to harass each other from the time that Sint sets foot in the Netherlands to the time he leaves. This is all we are asking for, a Sinterklaas truce.’

Support

The paper’s campaign has the backing of prime minister Mark Rutte who told the paper: ‘All over the country children had a great time during the parades. And this is how it should be in the Netherlands…

‘In the Netherlands you can make your opinions plain without spoiling a children’s party or damaging other people’s property. That’s not what we do in the Netherlands.’

Actor Bram van der Vlugt, former politician Jan Terlouw and a string of other celebrities and politicians have also signed up to support the paper’s campaign.

Skin colour

Vlogger Steven Brunswijk, who vlogs under the name Braboneger and also backs the AD, said he knew of children who had come home in tears because they had been asked by the teacher to be Zwarte Piet, because of the colour of their skin.

‘White people who support Zwarte Piet have probably never felt the pain of discrimination on the grounds of skin colour,’ he said, before calling for discussions to be kept away from children.

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Society
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
Tens of thousands protest against cabinet’s Israel stance
Veterans’ day as PSV’s Perisic and De Jong seal Eredivisie title
The politics of emotion: we are poorer without Pieter Omtzigt
Claude finishes 12th in Eurovision despite early hopes
Podcast: The Trappist Monks Can't Bottle It Like Ajax Edition
NewsHomeEconomyArt and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you information about coronavirus in the Netherlands.

Many thanks to everyone who has donated to DutchNews.nl in recent days!

We could not provide this service without you. If you have not yet made a contribution, you can do so here.

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now