Best Netherlands Current Affairs Podcasts (2025)

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The Twisted Family Trees Edition - Week 25 - 2025 1:09:59

Play Pause

3d ago1:09:59

1:09:59

The election campaign gathers pace as Dilan Yesilgöz goes on the attack against GroenLinks-PvdA while also slamming the door on another coalition with Geert Wlders' PVV. NSC narrowly avoids descending into chaos as one of the contenders in the race to lead the party into electoral oblivion drops out. Meanwhile, Dick Schoof secures a mandate to rais…

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Hoe Groningen beeft, scheurt en treurt 47:55

9d ago47:55

47:55

Live vanuit het Multifunctioneel Centrum Appingedam, Dijkstraat 77, inloop 13:30 uur. Met onder andere Nationaal coördinator Groningen Marieke Ferwerda (NCG), gedeputeerde Susan Top en Groninger Kamerlid Julian Bushoff (GroenLinks-PvdA). De bewoners Acht weken deed de Pointer pop-up redactie onderzoek in Groningen naar de problemen in het aardbevin…

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The Drifting Pancakes and Terrorist Vegetables Edition - Week 24 - 2025 1:03:06

10d ago1:03:06

1:03:06

After a week of strategic bickering between the coalition parties, Dick Schoof brokers a deal to split the asylum ministry three ways, making it less fragmented than it was under Marjolein Faber. Amsterdam unveils a plan to get international workers to speak Dutch and get involved in community work, in the hope that the locals will follow suit. Eur…

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Ukraine, Diplomacy, and the Road Ahead: A Talk with Ambassador Alle Dorhout 1:00:28

15d ago1:00:28

1:00:28

Join us for an exclusive interview with Alle Dorhout, the Dutch Ambassador to Ukraine and former Director of Intelligence at the AIVD. With valuable insights into the intersection of diplomacy and intelligence, Alle offers a firsthand perspective on navigating the complex political landscape during the war in Ukraine. In this conversation, we dive …

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The Orange Shields For White Lions Edition - Week 23 - 2025 1:04:27

16d ago1:04:27

1:04:27

In the most unsurprising plot twist since James Cameron's Titanic, the Dutch cabinet collapsed this week when Geert Wilders walked out in protest at his own asylum policy. With an election almost five months away, we ask if Dick Schoof's lame-duck cabinet can make more waves on defence, housing and immigration. Meanwhile, Mark Rutte has to figure o…

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Collapse of the Cabinet - Extra Episode - Week 23 - 2025 49:41

19d ago49:41

49:41

Eleven months after Dick Schoof's cabinet took office and 10½ months later than expected, the Dutch cabinet has collapsed after Geert Wilders pulled out of the four-way right-wing coalition. We look at how he managed to stir up a full-scale row over immigration with three parties that agreed with him and how the other parties were left wrong footed…

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Asielkinderen klem in de noodopvang 49:09

23d ago49:09

49:09

Asielkinderen klem in de noodopvang Duizenden kinderen wonen in Nederland in asielcentra die niet geschikt zijn voor minderjarigen. Het is er onrustig en onveilig. De Inspectie voor de Gezondheidszorg noemt de situatie 'onaanvaardbaar.' Nu trekken ook artsen aan de bel. Zieke kinderen krijgen te laat zorg en de vele verhuizingen eisen hun tol. In d…

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CSR Election Debate 2025 - University of Amsterdam Central Student Council 1:07:19

24d ago1:07:19

1:07:19

CSR Election Debate - University of Amsterdam From looming budget cuts in higher education to government directives on de-internationalisation, from defending the right to protest to safeguarding the mental well-being of students – this year, the university faces major decisions that will shape its future. In the midst of these challenges, the Cent…

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Ctrl+Alt+Defend_ Stéphane Duguin on the Fight for CyberPeace 59:47

24d ago59:47

59:47

As cyberattacks grow in scale and sophistication, the lines between cybercrime, state-sponsored hacking, and digital warfare are becoming increasingly blurred. How can we protect individuals, and democratic institutions from the rising tide of cyber threats? Who should be held accountable for cyberattacks, and how can the international community st…

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The Failure of Good Intentions – Philippe Sands on the Limits of International Law 1:05:27

28d ago1:05:27

1:05:27

When the newspapers are full of horrifying stories, international law sometimes feels impotent. Why is it still important? In what way is the term “genocide” political? Is our international system failing if world powers don’t subscribe to it? And why would we need a fifth international crime of “Ecocide”? Philippe Sands is a specialist in internat…

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Keenly Unorthodox: Rethinking Economics with Steve Keen 56:10

28d ago56:10

56:10

On the 9th of April, 13:00-14:00, in the E-Hall, Room for Discussion welcomed Steve Keen – outspoken critic of mainstream economics, author of “The New Economics: A Manifesto”, and one of today’s most rebellious economic thinkers. Keen has made it his mission to dismantle the neoclassical foundations of the discipline. With climate collapse acceler…

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The Gourmet Wolves At The Circle Party From Hell Edition - Week 21 - 2025 52:40

1M ago52:40

52:40

The capital's 750th birthday celebrations get off to a chaotic start, while Ajax lose the title and their Italian coach in the space of a week. Foreign affairs minister Caspar Veldkamp has more success in Europe, forcing the EU to investigate Israel's aid blockade in Gaza. Auditors skewer the government's spending plans, while the IMF sticks the kn…

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Uitbuiting van arbeidsmigranten in de grensregio 50:30

1M ago50:30

50:30

Steeds vaker wonen arbeidsmigranten die in Nederland werken over de grens in Duitsland of België. De leefomstandigheden zijn regelmatig slecht, maar landsgrenzen maken het moeilijker om de uitbuiting aan te pakken. Bovendien gaat het grensverkeer vooral één kant op: Nederland profiteert, in Duitsland en België groeien de klachten over het Nederland…

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The Trappist Monks Can't Bottle It Like Ajax Edition - Week 20 - 2025 1:02:06

1M ago1:02:06

1:02:06

Pressure mounts on the Dutch cabinet to denounce Israel's destruction of Gaza, with the mayor of Amsterdam, universities and even PVV voters growing increasingly critical. Scientists warn that Donald Trump's cuts to academic research are hampering their ability to work with American colleagues. The Netherlands could face water shortages as climate …

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The Strictly Not Dancing With Wolves Edition - Week 19 - 2025 1:03:38

1M ago1:03:38

1:03:38

Foreign minister Casper Veldkamp finally draws a red line over Israel's intervention in Gaza, but will it be the fault line that ruptures the coalition? The conflict is also the focus of protests at ceremonies to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. But at least one of the coalition parties has something to celebrate, as ME…

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Zonnepanelen recyclen is een illusie 51:32

2M ago51:32

51:32

Binnen 5 jaar moeten een half miljoen zonnepanelen verwerkt worden in Nederland. Maar: recycling staat nog in de kinderschoenen. Daarnaast bevatten veel panelen PFAS en de giftige stof antimoon, die tot op heden in de natuur belanden.

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The Penguin Murder Mystery Edition - Week 18 - 2025 1:09:57

2M ago1:09:57

1:09:57

As the economy cools, the cabinet burns through its green energy fund to bail out fossil fuel users and torch its climate change targets. The debate on who should be included in the May 4 commemorations flares up again as an alternative ceremony to include the victims of Gaza is condemned by some politicians. Geert Wilders claims victory as his asy…

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The TikTok Terrorism Tango Edition - Week 17 - 2025 1:04:30

2M ago1:04:30

1:04:30

The passing of Pope Francis managed to put the king's birthday birthday celebrations and Pieter Omtzigt's dramatic departure from politics in the shade this week. The coalition leaders emerged from a marathon negotiation session with a spring budget deal designed to please everyone except the taxpayers. Intelligence services accuse Iran of planning…

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Ethische kwesties rond ernstige misdrijven 50:25

2M ago50:25

50:25

De gevolgen van moord en doodslag zijn groot. Niet alleen emotioneel, maar op elk vlak in iemands leven: financieel, relationeel en qua gezondheid. Op papier lijkt alles goed geregeld, de afgelopen twintig jaar hebben slachtoffers en nabestaanden onbeperkt spreekrecht gekregen in de rechtszaal, er zijn schadefondsen en er is Slachtofferhulp. Maar b…

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Empire State of Mind: Russell Shorto on the Dutch Roots of New York 54:12

2M ago54:12

54:12

New York City was once just a small Dutch outpost called New Amsterdam. How did a modest trading colony become the global icon it is today? Join us for a deep dive with acclaimed historian Russell Shorto, who has spent decades uncovering the Dutch origins of America’s financial and cultural capital. From Manhattan’s first skyscrapers to Wall Street…

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The Crossing Zebras and Hoarding Coots Edition - Week 15 - 2025 1:07:24

2M ago1:07:24

1:07:24

An Easter egg scramble begins in The Hague as ministers try to grab a morsel of the €8 billion available in his spring budget statement. The Binnenhof's history as a medieval palace turns out to be even longer and richer than we suspected. Academics at Dutch universities face extra screening to prevent them stealing scientific knowledge, while stud…

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De lakmoesproef van Leijtens 51:31

3M ago51:31

51:31

De Nederlander Hans Leijtens is nu twee jaar hoofd van de Europese grensbewakingsorganisatie Frontex. Hij werd aangesteld om schoon schip te maken, nadat zijn voorganger door fraudejagers werd beticht van mensenrechtenschendingen. Slaagt Leijtens in zijn opdracht?

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The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum Ministry Edition - Week 14 - 2025 1:11:24

3M ago1:11:24

1:11:24

Once again Marjolein Faber confounds critics and partners alike with her bottomless talent for turning a storm in a teacup into a political maelstrom. Dick Schoof insists his cabinet is united behind his decision to clean up the mess caused by Faber's refusal to honour five volunteers for working with refugees. Elsewhere, a majority of MPs back a b…

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A Lifetime in Diplomacy: Former UN Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson 1:07:41

3M ago1:07:41

1:07:41

How can the UN uphold its humanitarian mission in an increasingly polarized world? Has it ever truly fulfilled its purpose of protecting human rights, and what role does diplomacy play as global tensions rise? Join us for a hybrid conversation with Jan Eliasson, former UN Deputy Secretary-General and President of the General Assembly, drawing on a …

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Trouble in Paradise: On the Crisis of Democratic Capitalism with Martin Wolf 1:00:54

3M ago1:00:54

1:00:54

Martin Wolf is one of the most prominent voices in the world of politics and economics of our times. In an era of inequality, political polarisation, and global power shifts, he asks the uncomfortable questions: Has capitalism betrayed democracy? Is rising authoritarianism a failure of the market—or the system itself? And most importantly, can we t…

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The No Tupperware For Old Wolves Edition - Week 13 - 2025 1:06:05

3M ago1:06:05

1:06:05

This week it was the turn of the immigration service and the justice inspectorate to take Marjolein Faber to task over her unravelling immigration plans. Amsterdam is shocked as five people are stabbed in an apparently random attack near Dam Square. Travellers to the United States are warned about Donald Trump's backward shift on LBGT rights. PSV h…

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Hoe zorg je voor leefbare wijken? 49:27

3M ago49:27

49:27

In Arnhem maakt het nogal uit in welke wijk je woont. In wijken met veel sociale huur gaat het niet goed met de leefbaarheid, zeggen bewoners. Ze hebben last van overlast en veel problemen komen juist in deze wijken terecht. En juist in de kwetsbare wijken verdwijnen er voorzieningen. Om de kloof tussen wijken in de stad te dichten wil de gemeente …

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The Urk Kids Get Stoned In The Biblical Sense Edition - Week 12 - 2025 1:04:01

3M ago1:04:01

1:04:01

Dick Schoof heads to Brussels for a defence spending summit with orders to pull the emergency brake on the Eurobonds train. Back in The Hague, the PVV holds its own prisons minister hostage over her plans to solve the overcrowding problem in jails. And the education minister wants to attract foreign talent to universities that are cutting down on i…

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The Back to Frugality Edition - Week 11 - 2025 1:01:46

3M ago1:01:46

1:01:46

The latest crisis to engulf Dick Schoof's cabinet sees three coalition parties vote against the prime minister on Europe's rearmament plan to support Ukraine. GroenLinks-PvdA speed up plans for a merger, almost as if they expect an early election. JA21 MP Joost Eerdmans, a PVV councillor and Groningen's former mayor all get into difficulty in their…

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Verdacht van misdaden en onuitzetbaar 50:27

4M ago50:27

50:27

Asielzoekers die worden verdacht van misdaden in hun eigen land krijgen geen status. Maar wat als je niet terug kan, omdat je thuis gevaar loopt? Enkele honderden mensen in Nederland zitten momenteel in die situatie. Hen wacht een leven in de illegaliteit. Een groep waar geen zicht op is en waar geen politicus zijn handen aan wil branden. Maar door…

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The Who's Ringing Dick's Doorbell Edition - Week 10 - 2025new 1:00:31

4M ago1:00:31

1:00:31

There's no such thing as an unqualified success in Dick Schoof's coalition of the unwilling. The prime minister steers a €3.5bn aid package to Ukraine through parliament, but faces accusations of a stitch-up from Geert Wilders. Marjolein Faber's asylum plans are finally signed off in cabinet but are likely to meet stiff resistance in the Senate. Po…

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The Cray Me A River Edition - Week 9 - 2025 1:07:40

4M ago1:07:40

1:07:40

An €8 billion windfall turns out to be a poisoned chalice for the cabinet as the coalition parties start scrambling for a piece of the pie. The four parties can't agree on how to mark the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is also the subject of Marjolein Faber's latest faux pas. More freelancers are going out of business a…

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Het mondkapjesgoud 51:50

4M ago51:50

51:50

Sywert van Lienden wist met de mondkapjesdeal met de overheid miljoenen te verdienen. Het kwam hem en zijn zakenpartners op veel kritiek te staan. Van Lienden deed in de media voorkomen dat hij met de verkoop van mondkapjes niets verdiende. Onderzoeksjournalisten van KRO-NCRV hadden voor de documentaire Het mondkapjesgoud de beschikking over nieuwe…

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The Sober As A Ugandan Bunker Edition - Week 8 - 2024 58:40

4M ago58:40

58:40

The mission to realise the "strictest asylum policy ever" takes another twist as housing minister Mona Keijzer bans local councils from giving refugees priority housing while Marjolein Faber gives them a €30,000 incentive to do exactly that. Women's rights, higher education and Unicef are no longer relevant to the Dutch national interest, Reinette …

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The Manure Hits The Windmill Edition - Week 6 - 2025 1:09:54

4M ago1:09:54

1:09:54

The BBB is the latest coalition party to be plunged into crisis as an MP quits and the local party in its Overijssel heartland splits over "irreconcilable differences". The three face mask millionaires are told to pay back their ill-gotten gains in a judgment that is scathing of the health ministry's carefree attitude to spending public money. Brus…

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The Lock Up The Wolves Edition - Week 7 - 2025 42:11

4M ago42:11

42:11

As Karl Marx once observed, history repeats itself: the first time as tragedy, the second as farce, the third as Marjolein Faber's asylum policy. The cabinet is on the brink of collapse for the umpteenth time as Geert Wilders blames NSC for his favourite minister's failure to cut any ice with the Council of State. Gelderland province also hits a le…

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Israel-Palestine Series: Yossi Klein Halevi on the Role of Narratives 1:10:59

4M ago1:10:59

1:10:59

Room for Discussion is proud to announce a new interview series. ❗Disclaimer: Room for Discussion is a journalistic student-led interview platform which encourages open dialogue and the sharing of diverse perspectives. The opinions expressed by individual guests and audience members in our interviews are solely their own and do not reflect the view…

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Toppling Europe's Last Dictator: A Conversation with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya 1:06:55

4M ago1:06:55

1:06:55

Join us for a powerful discussion with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of the Belarusian opposition and a global symbol of the fight for democracy. We'll delve into her journey from presidential candidate to exile, the ongoing struggle against authoritarianism in Belarus, and the challenges of rallying international support for democratic chan…

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Show Me the Money! with Tony Murphy, President of the European Court of Auditors 59:58

4M ago59:58

59:58

Ever wondered how €186 billion in EU spending is scrutinized to ensure every euro counts? On 14th January, from 13:00 to 14:00, at the REC E-Hall, we’ll dive into the world of the European Court of Auditors (ECA) with its President, Tony Murphy. As the leader of the EU’s financial watchdog, Murphy ensures that the Union’s finances are transparent, …

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Ruben Brekelmans, Dutch Minister of Defence 49:15

4M ago49:15

49:15

The way events unfolded on our platform today once again is deeply unfortunate. While we believe that protest is an integral part of a democratic society, we are dissapointed that the way it was carried out today hindered a free exchange of ideas. We are a platform run by students, for students which always strives to create a democratic environmen…

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Spionnen op de Noordzee 50:59

4M ago50:59

50:59

Russische onderzoeksschepen met aan boord gewapende militairen schuimen de Noordzee af, op jacht naar Nederlandse datakabels, gaspijpleidingen en windparken, blijkt uit onderzoek van Pointer. Samen met een team van internationale journalisten speuren we de sociale media af van de bemanning, brengen morsecodes in kaart en gaan naar Estland om eracht…

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The Hunebed Heist Way Edition - Week 5 - 2025 1:08:05

5M ago1:08:05

1:08:05

Another week, another round of infighting and backtracking in the coalition, this time over an eye-watering 0.4% increase in the rate of VAT. The Drents Museum is the reluctant star of an international heist drama stretching from Bucharest to Heerhugowaard. Calls for a fireworks ban grow louder following another rise in injuries and attacks on emer…

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Geen woonplekken voor mensen met zware psychische problemen 50:33

5M ago50:33

50:33

Mensen met zware, psychische problemen kunnen nog steeds geen woonplek vinden, ondanks een nieuwe wet. Sinds 2021 hebben GGZ-cliënten recht op zorg via de Wet Langdurige Zorg, waarmee meer geld vrijkwam voor deze groep. Met deze wet zou er meer rust moeten zijn en intensieve begeleiding, maar doet deze wet wel wat die belooft?…

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The Gourmet Flamingos and Wolves in Blankets Edition - Week 4 - 2025 1:03:33

5M ago1:03:33

1:03:33

A hazy cloud hangs over the cabinet after it loses another court case against its nitrogen reduction policy. Marjolein Faber's latest wheeze to send asylum seekers home is a one-way trip to Damascus, with compensation for going via Brussels. Shoplifters are getting away with theft and it's down to privacy laws, says a debt collection firm that was …

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The Blueberry Monday Edition - Week 3 - 2024 1:00:53

5M ago1:00:53

1:00:53

Some people call it the most depressing day of the year: to others it's known as the return of parliament. Geert Wilders' coalition crisis roulette wheel lands on the spring budget cuts as he yet again vows not to budge an inch. The lawyer for drugs baron Ridouan Taghi is accused of abusing her privilege to run messages for her client in a case tha…

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The Brabant Is Full of Used Needles Edition - Week 2 - 2025 1:06:15

5M ago1:06:15

1:06:15

In keeping with tradition, 2025 kicked off with an explosive row about whether to ban fireworks. Pharmacists go on strike for more pay while they warn about a shortage of supplies. The wartime archives of suspected Nazi collaborators are opened up and immediately stir up a hornet's nest. Blades are sharpened in the world of figure skating as the le…

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Pointer: Criminele Kringen 52:40

6M ago52:40

52:40

Een special: Pointer Criminele Kringen. We zijn geobsedeerd door misdaad, we willen weten wie het heeft gedaan en hoe het zover heeft kunnen komen. Criminele Kringen, een special van Pointer van KRO-NCRV duikt in de achtergronden van de misdaad. Presentatie: Jos de Groot

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Ophef of the Year 2024 - Bonus Episode 52:53

6M ago52:53

52:53

It's time once again for our annual round-up of the minor incidents that got everybody hot under the collar for five minutes on social media at some point this year. And what a bumper harvest it's been. Caroline van der Plas performed a hardboiled cunning stunt in front of Geert Wilders, a man called Willie fell foul of the regulations on phallic g…

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Pointer: Voorbij de vrede 51:15

6M ago51:15

51:15

De vrede bewaren door ons voor te bereiden op oorlog. Dat is de boodschap die we voortdurend horen van de regering, de NAVO en veel analisten. Maar is dit inderdaad de enige weg? Pointer onderzoekt hoe internationale betrekkingen werken en welke rol de krijgsmacht daarin moet hebben. We spreken met het hoofd onderzoek van het Haags Centrum voor Str…

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The Bright Lights and Bad Coffee Edition - Week 51 - 2024 1:04:21

6M ago1:04:21

1:04:21

Asylum minister Marjolein Faber produces her rapid-response emergency plan to deal with the urgent refugee crisis, a mere six months after taking office. Police believe the explosion in The Hague that cost the lives of six people may have been the work of an enraged ex-boyfriend. Farmers' party minister Jean Rummenie outlines his strategy on proble…