Protests against the new government: 'It's like they’re closing an entire university'

The agreement presented by the political parties forming the future coalition foresees drastic cuts for higher education. Almost a billion euros will be cut in this sector annually. To put things into perspective, that's about the same as the revenue of the University of Amsterdam in 2022. “Cutbacks of this magnitude are essentially the same as closing down a large university or two or three smaller universities”, says Rens Bod, from the protest group WOinActie.

WOinActie has spent years calling for an increase of a billion euros a year to the research budget. When the previous cabinet took office, it looked like these efforts had been successful. “We thought we’d won,” says Bod. 

Consequences
Now the group is announcing new protests, in collaboration with trade unions. They want to show the consequences of these cutbacks and the importance of education and research. “Research into vaccinations, the shortage of teachers and judges... To name but a few things these parties also value.” 

He could give many more examples, but what’s the point? “The far-right has a problematic relationship with education and research”, says Bod. “It almost makes you wonder: are they against new knowledge? We’re preparing for an aversion to knowledge institutes.” 

PVV leader Geert Wilders recently spoke at a political conference in Hungary, a country where the freedom of academics and journalists is under pressure. Is Bod afraid that the Netherlands might be heading down the same path? “Of course we are. The signs aren’t positive. We may end up in a situation where independent journalists and scientists will be attacked directly.”

Italy
He sounds more pessimistic (and more combative) than the president of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Marileen Dogterom, who does not believe the Netherlands is the next Hungary. In an interview with press agency HOP, she said: “It really would be going too far to say that the entire coalition is directly opposed to science.”

“However, VVD and NSC have agreed to collaborate with a party that definitely shows this tendency”, responds Bod. “You can compromise all you want, but things aren’t heading in the right direction. When all is said and done, we are afraid scientists will be even less protected than they already are.”

He suspects the situation will resemble that of Italy. He draws attention to an op-ed (in Dutch, Ed.) by Frans Timmermans, the GroenLinks-PvdA (Green Left-Lavour Party) party leader, who describes how the Italian far-right is hollowing out the freedom of journalists, writers and researchers. 

Bod: “This may lead to situations like a researcher saying that the government is far-right and the government taking that researcher to court. The Social Sciences and Humanities are particularly at risk. It can happen here as well.” Wilders recently pressed charges against Frans Timmermans. 

The next minister
So now WOinActie is planning to take action. The platform’s strategy will partially depend on the future Minister of Education. Bod: “Once we have a name, it will help us focus. A lot depends on who it will be. I’m not going to express hope yet, but things may turn out a bit differently if a minister from VVD or NSC is appointed.”

In any case, WOinActie wants to be present at the opening of the new academic year in the city that will also welcome the minister. A knowledge festival, where researchers demonstrate everything they have to offer, is also in the works. Perhaps there will be more drastic actions, such as "work-to-rule strikes" (refusing to work overtime) or teaching-free days.

But Bod is frustrated that this is necessary. “Thanks to our protests in the past, there finally was a bit of relief that quality would be guaranteed. Now, that’s at risk again.”

The intended cutbacks on the national "sector plans" and a fund for research amount to 365 million euros annually. Reducing the number of international students would represent a further 293 million euros. The penalty for students who take too long to complete their studies and the cutbacks on the allowance for the public transport card would yield another 312 million euros per year.