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

22 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

Dutch prime minister tells MPs he has ‘changed his views’ on Zwarte Piet

June 5, 2020
Sinterklaas and traditional Piets in the Dutch village of De Rijp. Photo: DutchNews.nl.
Sinterklaas and traditional Piets in the Dutch village of De Rijp. Photo: DutchNews.nl

One day after stating that racism is a problem in the Netherlands, prime minister Mark Rutte has now admitted to altering his views on Zwarte Piet, the controversial sidekick of Sinterklaas who is traditionally played by a white person in blackface makeup.

During a debate in parliament on Thursday evening, Rutte said his perspective on Zwarte Piet had undergone ‘major changes‘.

‘I was part of the group that said Zwarte Piet is black,’ Rutte said. ‘I’ve said it often enough here.’ The prime minister went on to say that he had met many people ‘with dark skins’ who said they feel discriminated against because Zwarte Piet is black. ‘And that is the last thing that we want during the Sinterklaas celebrations,’ Rutte said.

On the other hand, he continued, there are people who do not want to be forced into change, and that it is not the government’s job to make this happen, Rutte, who has admitted playing Black Piet in the past, told MPs.

However, he said, he expected that in a few years there will be ‘almost no black Zwarte Piets any more.’ ‘This is a folk culture which changes in time under pressure from debate in society,’ the prime minister said.

The prime minister’s change of heart has been welcomed by anti-Zwarte Piet campaigners, including Jerry Afriyie. ‘Better later than never,’ Afriyie said. ‘Now lets get rid of Zwarte Piet and we can all enjoy a party for all children.’

Mooi. Better late than never! Nu nog zwarte piet afschaffen en dan kunnen we allemaal genieten van een #FeestVoorAlleKinderen.#2020ZwartePietVrij is weer een stap dichterbij. #KOZPhttps://t.co/RxNYbXnzGi

— Jerry King Luther Afriyie (@TheRebelThePoet) June 4, 2020

On Wednesday, the prime minister first broached the question of racism in the Netherlands in reply to reporters questions about the unrest in the US following the death of George Floyd in Minnesota.

‘There are people in the Netherlands too who are judged not on their future but on their past, their background, who are spoken to not as individuals but because of the group they come from, not for their behaviour but for their religious beliefs,’ Rutte said. ‘It happens in the Netherlands as well, it affects a lot of people in this country.’

More complaints were made last year to the various Dutch organisations which collect statistics about discrimination, according to a report compiled on behalf of the police and home affairs ministry in April.

In total, nearly 10,000 complaints were made to the police and other agencies, of which around 42% related to people’s ethnic origins.

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
Police confirm bodies in car are missing children and father
Country safety reports for asylum claims to be kept secret
"The Netherlands is innovative yet surprisingly traditional"
Drents Museum helmet heist "was ordered by Romanian gangsters"
Dutch households advised to stash away €70 in cash per adult
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