Latest blog articles

  • It is not that listening to the electorate is wrong. It is not wrong either to build a campaign on perceived wishes of the electorate. Trying to win an electoral campaign either, is wrong.

  • What exactly are the legal instruments for the EU according the measures that have been introduced recently with regard to the constitutional court and in terms of the media law. This article is only available in Dutch.

  • Legitimacy in the political sense can be defined as an inquiry into the justification for the exercise of public authority. Or put differently: it is the reason why I, being part of society, should accept laws and regulations that bind me.

  • The day after the “Brexit”-referendum, with a majority of 51.9% voting to leave the European Union, some speak of the success of democracy (“the people have spoken”). Already, there are calls for referenda in other countries to let the people speak there, too. This suggests that independently of our...

  • After months of negotiations between Greece, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Central Bank (ECB) and the European Union (EU), which acuminated in an overwhelming amount of over 60% of “no”-votes by the Greek citizens to the reforms attached to the second Greek bailout programme...

  • Pieter_Brueghel_the_elder_law_MLR

    The Undutchables

    Maybe you know the book The Undutchables.  It describes the Dutch and how it must be for a foreigner to immigrate to The Netherlands and be confronted with Dutch peculiarities. For a next edition a new chapter may be added with specific interest for lawyers. In The Netherlands we celebrate Kings Day...

  • Study

    Hidden study places

    As exams are starting all over again, the library and university buildings become more crowded then ever. Finding a quiet study spot is not possible unless you will participate with the early morning German runs. Luckily there are some secret spots in Maastricht where you can find the peace and...

  • While I’m writing this blog I’m still calming down from my football match tonight. We lost again (but we finally scored!) and I got very mad (emotional like one of my teammates called it), and since the game was pretty late (10 p.m.), I still need calming down before I can sleep. But this will work.

  • So you are a prospective student and need to find your way around. You can stroll down the internet to find everything that you need before you arrive here. But why bother? Here’s a summary of some of the most basic things you need to know before you arrive.

  • The Netherlands; well known for its tolerant and laid back view on basically anything (except time). Being openly gay is not a problem. Euthanasia and Abortion are far from taboos anymore. But I guess especially our very tolerant drug policy is welcomed by most people from other countries. Too bad...