Morning Reflection: Democracy Without Conviction

Morning Reflection: Democracy Without Conviction

✍️Author’s Note

This reflection was written on the morning after the Dutch election, with results still settling but the outlines already clear. It is not a triumphal note, but a pointed reminder that Dutch politics has shifted further to the right, and that populism is no longer a fringe phenomenon. What troubles me most is not only Wilders’ persistence, but the volatility of the electorate itself: democracy has become restless, impatient, and too often superficial. I frame this reflection with de Tocqueville’s warning that democracies falter when citizens grow indifferent to their freedom.

A democracy is in danger when its citizens become indifferent to their freedom.”
— Alexis de Tocqueville

Reflection

The results are still settling, but one truth is already clear: the Netherlands has shifted further to the right. Wilders may have lost support, yet his presence remains a stain—one in five voters openly chose a party that thrives on fear, exclusion, and resentment. That is not a fringe; it is a structural force in our democracy.

What troubles me more is the volatility. Once, politics was about conviction—rooted in labor, faith, or liberalism. Today, votes are cast on a whim, a headline, or a tweet. Parties rise and fall like fashion trends. It is democracy without memory, politics without backbone.

This creates a dangerous paradox: while the extremes gain permanence, the center fractures into smaller, weaker pieces. Socialists retreat, liberals split, moderates waver. The electorate swings restlessly, chasing the next promise, and in doing so undermines the very stability it craves.

The flag-waving, slogan-shouting, and borrowed theatrics we saw on election night are not signs of vitality. They are symptoms of a democracy that risks becoming performance rather than conviction. And performance alone cannot govern a divided nation.

The brighter side is resilience: institutions still force even the loudest populist into the grind of compromise. But let us not be deceived—beneath the surface, trust is eroding. And when trust collapses, democracy itself begins to falter.

William J J Houtzager, Aka WJJH, October, 2025

📌Blog Excerpt

The Netherlands has moved further to the right. Wilders may have lost ground, but one in five still chose fear over freedom. What troubles me most is not only his persistence, but the volatility of our politics: votes cast on a whim, a tweet, or a headline, while conviction fades into memory.

This is politics without backbone, democracy without depth. The extremes grow permanent, while the centre fractures. Performance replaces conviction, and democracy risks losing its trust.