{"id":5547,"date":"2018-04-26T18:23:49","date_gmt":"2018-04-26T18:23:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/dutch\/?p=5547"},"modified":"2018-04-26T18:31:48","modified_gmt":"2018-04-26T18:31:48","slug":"3-reasons-to-dislike-about-the-dutch-monarchy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/dutch\/3-reasons-to-dislike-about-the-dutch-monarchy\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Reasons To Dislike The Dutch Monarchy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tomorrow,\u00a0Koning Willem-Alexander\u00a0<\/em>can blow out 51\u00a0kaarsjes\u00a0<\/em>(candles)! And the whole country is going to celebrate it along with him.<\/a> Right? No. There are some people opposed to the king. And just this week, negative voices have raised again. Why? Here are three, non-exhaustive, reasons why having a\u00a0koningshuis\u00a0<\/em>(royal house) may not be such a wonderful idea, according to\u00a0tegenstanders\u00a0<\/em>(opponents).<\/p>\n

1. Duur!<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Original work by author<\/p><\/div>\n

The Dutch royal house is\u00a0duur\u00a0<\/em>(expensive)! The Republikeins Genootschap\u00a0<\/em>(Republican Society) pleads to have a republic without a monarchie\u00a0<\/em>(monarchy).\u00a0\u00a0On Tuesday, the group published a report in which it stated that the costs for the\u00a0koning\u00a0<\/em>(king) are\u00a06 times higher than stated!<\/span> While in the official begroting\u00a0<\/em>(budget), the government lists costs of \u20ac60 million a year, the report claims that this is about \u20ac350 million. This is because they include belastingen\u00a0<\/em>(taxes) that the\u00a0koning\u00a0<\/em>is not obliged to pay, spaces in ambassades\u00a0<\/em>(embassies) that are made especially for the\u00a0koninklijke gezin\u00a0<\/em>(royal family) if it stays there,\u00a0onderhoud\u00a0<\/em>(maintenance) of the castles, the lack of\u00a0huur\u00a0<\/em>(rent), since the family does not pay\u00a0huur <\/em>for living in the castles, and the\u00a0beveiliging\u00a0<\/em>(security detail). Both the\u00a0koningshuis\u00a0<\/em>and the\u00a0minister-president\u00a0<\/em>Mark Rutte<\/a>\u00a0state that the costs given in the\u00a0begroting\u00a0<\/em>are accurate, and that the report is based a lot on\u00a0giswerk\u00a0<\/em>(guessing). Of course, the group has an agenda, so there is reason to be skeptical about these claims. That the\u00a0koningshuis\u00a0<\/em>costs a bunch. however, is no secret.<\/p>\n

2. Niet transparant!<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Original work by author<\/p><\/div>\n

Another claim is that the\u00a0koningshuis\u00a0<\/em>is\u00a0niet transparant\u00a0<\/em>(not transparent). This case can be made to the extent that, indeed, nobody knows the real wealth of the royal family –\u00a0dat is priv\u00e9\u00a0<\/em>(that is private). In the report from the\u00a0Republikeins Genootschap<\/em>, the\u00a0schatting\u00a0<\/em>(estimate) is at a net worth of \u20ac12 billion. That is a lot! And that is public money. After all, the\u00a0koning\u00a0<\/em>is a public official, in service of the citizens, the\u00a0republikeinen\u00a0<\/em>argue.<\/p>\n

3.<\/strong> Waardeloos!<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n
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Original work by author<\/p><\/div>\n

Not everyone sees the\u00a0koningshuis\u00a0<\/em>as particularly useful. Sure, it is fun on days like\u00a0koningsdag<\/em>. Some are then quick to point out that it actually costs a lot of money. Not only to organize\u00a0Koningsdag<\/em>, but also the day as a public holiday – it is a full day of productivity for the economy lost! And\u00a0voorstanders\u00a0<\/em>(proponents) will say that the prestige of having a\u00a0staatshoofd\u00a0<\/em>(head of state) going on\u00a0staatsbezoeken\u00a0<\/em>(state visits) helps get business for the Dutch. Even if that is true – can Rutte not do that?<\/p>\n

Lubach for Farao!<\/strong><\/h2>\n