Dutch voters have surprised the world with their optimism, and liberals elsewhere would do well to take note. For years, progressive parties in Europe have been mired in negativity, warning that the sky is falling on everything from climate change to economic inequality. But the centrist D66 party, which has nearly tripled its seats in this week's election, has shown a different approach – one of positive patriotism.
D66 leader Rob Jetten and his team have adopted a can-do attitude, telling voters that "this country can do so much better." Their message is not "the world is doomed," but rather "we can make it better." This positivity resonates with voters, who are tired of the left's cynicism and negativity.
But it's not just about being optimistic. Jetten has also shown that one can be proudly patriotic without excluding minorities or vilifying outsiders. In fact, he has owned a new kind of pride – progressive patriotism. He defends the Netherlands on his own terms, rather than trying to fit into an EU or international law framework.
Jetten has also taken off the gloves when it comes to debating his opponents. Rather than going high and sounding prime ministerial, he has confronted Geert Wilders, the leader of the far-right PVV party, on the detail of their policies. This approach may be seen as confrontational by some, but for Jetten, it's just good policy debate.
On economic issues, D66 has presented an unapologetically left-wing platform – one that includes taxing labor less and capital more, progressive inheritance and gift tax, and higher rewards for work. But unlike many other progressives, they have avoided anti-capitalist posturing or talk of degrowth. Instead, they've offered straightforward social democratic ideas.
Perhaps most surprisingly, D66 has managed to build a big tent coalition – one that includes voters from the centre-left GreenLeft/Labour alliance, the centre-right NSC, and even some right-wing voters. This broad coalition is a departure from the shrinking progressive bloc in Europe.
So what can liberals elsewhere learn from this success? For starters, they need to stop being so gloomy and cynical. They need to show optimism and confidence in their ideas, rather than assuming that hope is naive or weak. By doing so, they may be able to build a broad coalition of support – one that includes voters who feel left behind by traditional party politics.
As the Netherlands shows us, there's more than one way to be progressive – and being optimistic and patriotic doesn't have to mean selling out to the right. In fact, it can be a powerful tool in building a better future for all.
D66 leader Rob Jetten and his team have adopted a can-do attitude, telling voters that "this country can do so much better." Their message is not "the world is doomed," but rather "we can make it better." This positivity resonates with voters, who are tired of the left's cynicism and negativity.
But it's not just about being optimistic. Jetten has also shown that one can be proudly patriotic without excluding minorities or vilifying outsiders. In fact, he has owned a new kind of pride – progressive patriotism. He defends the Netherlands on his own terms, rather than trying to fit into an EU or international law framework.
Jetten has also taken off the gloves when it comes to debating his opponents. Rather than going high and sounding prime ministerial, he has confronted Geert Wilders, the leader of the far-right PVV party, on the detail of their policies. This approach may be seen as confrontational by some, but for Jetten, it's just good policy debate.
On economic issues, D66 has presented an unapologetically left-wing platform – one that includes taxing labor less and capital more, progressive inheritance and gift tax, and higher rewards for work. But unlike many other progressives, they have avoided anti-capitalist posturing or talk of degrowth. Instead, they've offered straightforward social democratic ideas.
Perhaps most surprisingly, D66 has managed to build a big tent coalition – one that includes voters from the centre-left GreenLeft/Labour alliance, the centre-right NSC, and even some right-wing voters. This broad coalition is a departure from the shrinking progressive bloc in Europe.
So what can liberals elsewhere learn from this success? For starters, they need to stop being so gloomy and cynical. They need to show optimism and confidence in their ideas, rather than assuming that hope is naive or weak. By doing so, they may be able to build a broad coalition of support – one that includes voters who feel left behind by traditional party politics.
As the Netherlands shows us, there's more than one way to be progressive – and being optimistic and patriotic doesn't have to mean selling out to the right. In fact, it can be a powerful tool in building a better future for all.
. I mean, most left-wing parties are always going on about how bad things are and how we need to tear everything down. But D66's "can-do" attitude is infectious 
. They're not afraid to show some pride in their country without being all about excluding minorities or whatever 
.
. He's not afraid to go at it with Geert Wilders and get a bit messy 
. It's like, if you can't handle the heat, then stay out of the policy debate 
.
. They're not stuck in this tiny progressive bubble where they only appeal to a few people. Instead, they're out there trying to win over the centre-left and even some right-wingers 
.
. Let's all take a page out of their book and stop being so gloomy 
. Show some optimism and confidence in your ideas, and maybe you'll be able to build that broad coalition thingy 
.
like taxing labor less and capital more, progressive inheritance and gift tax... they're not afraid to go toe-to-toe with their opponents either 
it's a good lesson for liberals elsewhere to stop being so cynical and gloomy, we need more positivity and confidence in our ideas 
maybe if we build that broad coalition of support, we can create a better future for everyone 
! They're like, actually trying to make a difference instead of just talking about how bad everything is 
. And Rob Jetten's approach is so refreshing - he's not afraid to be optimistic and proud of his country, but also isn't all about excluding minorities or whatever 
. I mean, it's cool that they're taking a more social democratic approach on economics too 
. The fact that they've managed to build this big tent coalition with people from different parts of the political spectrum is just amazing 
.
.
. They're showing that being progressive doesn't mean you gotta be super negative or apologetic about your ideas 
. Its like, we need more people who are willing to get their hands dirty and try new things, instead of just complaining all the time 
. Their leader Rob Jetten seems really confident and genuine about their ideas 
, and thats infectious! Its also refreshing to see them not being afraid to debate people who disagree with them 
. Maybe if more politicians showed a bit of positivity and patriotism, we'd actually make some progress on the things that matter 
. All these years of left-wing parties being super negative about everything has been kinda draining. They should take note from the Dutch and try to show some positivity, you know? 
Not saying it's gonna be easy but it's worth a shot. And I love how Jetten isn't afraid to go after his opponents in a respectful way 
. Most European lefties are always talking down, but these D66 folks are like "we got this"! I mean, Rob Jetten's message is super inspiring – it's not about tearing people down, but lifting them up 
.
. I guess you could say they're the anti-woke crowd 