Dutch right-wing coalition: Coffeeshops to become members-only clubs

The leaders of the conservative VVD, the Christian Democrats and Geert Wilders’ Freedom Party have presented their plans for a centre-right government. Amongst 18 billion euro cuts, tightened immigration policies and a ban on the burqa, the parties agreed to turn coffeeshops into members-only private clubs. This would also mean that foreign visitors are no longer welcome.

Similar plans to tighten the rules for coffeeshops were proposed earlier, but were only adopted by the province of Maastricht in an attempt to cut off French, Belgian and German tourists. It is likely that such measures would force many Amsterdam coffeeshops, who mostly serve tourists, to close their doors.

Opposing parties and migrant groups critize the coalition deal, saying it will increase tension in society. Leader of the Freedom Party, Geert Wilders, is due to appear in court in Amsterdam for a total of six days (over the course of a fortnight) on charges of inciting hatred and discrimination against Muslims.

Christian Democrat MPs are still divided on whether or not to support the coalition agreement.

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Comments

Optimist - 2010-10-01 10:54:28

+13

Freedom party to ban the freedom of tourists and Dutch tax paying citizens They profile themselve as parties that are our best option for our economy, but they chase a way a lot of tourists and their money.......

Lev - 2010-10-01 11:28:27

+10

Prohibition does not equal "freedom", Geert Wilders.

You have no business calling your party the "Freedom Party" when your entire philosophy on life is founded upon force, prohibition and intolerance.

He's no better than the people he goes after.

Hypocrite.

TomVerdier - 2010-10-01 12:13:41

It's called Freedom Party just like all the Republics of the planet that brand themselves "Democratic" Republic of ThisOrThat. You can bet your ass it's everything but a democracy !

gaboss - 2010-10-01 14:41:11

it's quite obvious that weed will be banned pretty soon.
step by step, of course, so no one but only a few notice
or care.

welcome to the fourth reich ;) the machine has al-
ready been build. they are only turning it on now.

gamezz - 2010-10-01 19:05:48

this is pure discrimination for tourists!!!!!
Europe should fine them!!!

Don Jia - 2010-10-02 13:30:52

+24

I hereby, as a Dutchman NOT down with Wilders’ Freedumb party, apologize to the rest of the world. Unfortunately, the right revolution has been in the making for a wile. See, most of you only come to Amsterdam and only ever see that side of the Netherlands, the modern-city side, but there’s another, highly regressive culture, rife with resentment towards anything askew from ‘the norm,’ and which fantasizes about eliminating all nonconformist, truly free, ‘leftist’ elements permanently. Now where have we heard THAT before?

As much as I’d like to say Geert Wilders is just a shrewd politician, capitalizing on fears, real or imaginary, of ordinary people, I’m afraid the truth you won’t hear ANY politician ever say, is that so many ‘ordinary Dutch people’ are plain fucked up in the head. A value judgment, for sure, but I’m no politician trying to win a popularity contest here, I’m telling you how it is. Even bigmouth Wilders (‘we must deport millions of Muslims from Europe’) has to show some restraint, for political and legal reasons, in how he formulates his vision for Dutch society, but you can rest assured the throngs of ‘ordinary people’ voting for him hear the Great Blonde Leader loud and clear: it is a call to purge Dutch society of all elements deviating from the petty norms of ‘ordinary Dutch people.’

I’ve said this a million times, and will continue to say it for as long as I must, but the ‘clash of civilizations’ thing between ‘the West’ and ‘Islam’ is just a smokescreen. What’s really at stake is a battle for what ‘Western culture’ in 2010 should look like: a chaotic, vibrant, spirited ‘progressive’ idea, or a sterile, uniform, maximum control hell-society which has more to do with the modern Chinese variety of ‘democracy’ than anything else. For some reason, many people today WANT the latter, are willing to sacrifice any number of personal liberties, be it ‘for security purposes,’ or just to pester progressive leftists. Call it the revenge of the little persons.

I say: to hell with little persons, closet-fascists, and ordinary people in general. I defecate on your heads.

BULE - 2010-10-04 21:39:15

-1

Imagine:
"I own a coffeeshop. It doesn't matter I got 5 mouths to feed, as long as your children's bellys are full. We need to be closed or reduced because we make money and do no harm."

Piet. - 2010-10-04 23:24:56

One half of our world can less or more handle alcohol, the other half hashish. The Nederlands, Switzerland, some US States are showing us cannabis in northern hemisphere. What are we waiting for ?

bg - 2010-10-08 18:47:59

Geert must've been laughing at himself when choosing the name for his party.
What a hypocrite party.

Rdawg - 2010-10-11 08:06:58

Bye adamm - It's already almost legal in California - no need to go to Amsterdam and your substandard 100 euro per night hotel rooms and icky food...

anbo - 2010-10-13 01:52:50

Rdawg - there are cheaper places than 100 euro a night & the food is FAR better than the fatty muck that's served in the US.

Freedom party - I hope they had irony in mind when they named it. Great idea - damaging the economy by discouraging tourists. Not just lower profits for coffee shops but also for bars, shops, hotels, hostels, restruants, museums & gallerys, taxi's trams, buses and trains - in fact just about every business a tourist is likely to use.

Damage the economy and force people out of work - what a fantastic idea from the 'freedom' party.

Religious right wingers are the worst, they should be excluded from ever wielding political power.

Reality grid - 2010-10-31 22:47:54

we should do something.we mustn't let them ban weed!who the fuck are they to take such desicions FOR ME?who gave them the right to know what's good for me?fucking system of money i dream the day this financial system collapse.