Vraag 2 | How vulnerable is the Dutch rule of law? (Dutch spoken)
Last week, the police openly questioned the independence of the Amsterdam court in a case concerning COVID-19 protests. Politicians, too, are increasingly critical of judges. Such statements risk undermining trust between politics, the police and the judiciary. How damaging is that to the rule of law? Hear more from lawyer and professor Jonathan Soeharno in Vraag 2 on Spotify.
In the latest episode of Vraag 2, journalist Jip Koene visits Jonathan Soeharno — lawyer and professor of judicial administration in a legal-philosophical context — at the Zuidas business district. He places the incident in a wider trend: growing public distrust in the judiciary.
“What’s interesting now,” Soeharno says, “is that we’re starting to see it the other way around — judges no longer automatically trust other branches of government.” In this particular case, the police refused to provide additional information about the 2022 demonstrations.
Since the childcare benefits scandal, judges have become much more hesitant to automatically side with the government, Soeharno notes. “The judiciary has become far more critical of state decisions. You saw that recently in the case of three Islamic preachers who wanted to visit Utrecht. The minister had denied them entry, but the court rigorously reviewed the decision and overturned the travel ban.”
According to Soeharno, politicians are increasingly testing the boundaries of the law.
Listen to the full episode now on Spotify (Dutch spoken).
Production & presentation: Jip Koene
Editor-in-chief: Dirk Wolthekker
Music: Paolo Argento
