Midweek Mathew: Lessons from the Netherlands-Hope beats hate…and liberals can win!
If you ever feel like politics is stuck in a doom-loop-all fear, fury, and finger-wagging-the Netherlands just offered a powerful reminder: liberal optimism still wins elections.
Democrats 66 (D66), the Dutch social liberal party, has come out on top in the country’s general election, and their leader Rob Jetten-38, thoughtful, gay, and proudly progressive-is now set to become the country’s next Prime Minister.
He also becomes the Netherlands’ youngest leader in modern times.
That alone is history-making.
But what matters isn’t just who won-it’s how and why.
In a moment when the far-Right across Europe has been swaggering, sneering, and assuming inevitability, Jetten didn’t meet anger with anger.
He met it with hope. And it worked.
Jetten didn’t shy away from the big challenges:
Climate change and energy.
Housing shortages.
Migration and integration.
Democratic renewal.
But he didn’t campaign in a spirit of retreat or resentment.
No culture-war pandering.
No mimicking the Right to “win them back.”
Instead, he offered optimism with credibility-solutions rooted in liberal values, grounded in fairness, community, progress and decency.
It was politics not as a fight to the bottom, but as a lift upwards.
And, crucially, voters responded.
Geert Wilders-the Dutch godfather of the European hard Right-was supposed to be unstoppable.
Polls, pundits, and populists across the continent thought this was his moment.
But the Dutch looked at what was on offer and said: No. Not that. We can do better.
And they did.
Beating the far Right doesn’t happen by shouting at it from the sidelines, it happens by offering a credible, confident alternative-one rooted not in fear but in freedom, fairness, and forward-thinking.
Let’s not pretend symbolism doesn’t matter either.
A young, openly gay liberal leading a major European nation sends a message far beyond the Netherlands.
Progress is not inevitable-but neither is its reversal.
And for those of us in Britain, and across Europe, who sometimes worry that liberalism is on the back foot, take heart:
People will vote for diversity, dignity, decency, and hope-when we offer them proudly.
So, here’s five lessons for liberals here at home:
Don’t water down who you are. Authenticity beats triangulation every time.
Be positive-seriously. People are tired of things being rubbish. Offer renewal.
Have a plan, not just vibes. Optimism must come with policy and seriousness.
Say what you’re for, not just what you’re against. Defensiveness doesn’t inspire-vision does.
Coalitions aren’t weakness-they’re maturity. The future belongs to cooperation, not culture-war cosplay.
What’s happened in the Netherlands doesn’t magically solve everything.
Nor, sadly, does it mean that the far Right melts away.
But it proves something simple and hopeful.
You don’t beat darkness by dimming the lights-you turn them up.
For us liberals-and, indeed, anyone who still believes in kindness, fairness, community, and hope-the message is clear:
Be bold. Be decent. Be optimistic.
Offer a better future-and trust people to choose it.
Because when we do that, as our Dutch friends have shown, we win.
⭐️ Thanks for reading Midweek Mathew, a space for warmth, hope, liberal values-and a reminder that decency still matters.
See you next week.
Until then, stay kind, stay curious, stay hopeful. ♥️
And don’t forget to join me on Sunday, right here on Substack, for Mr Hulbert’s Diary.
Cheers! 👍
