For the complete report in the Gulf Times click on this link
Dutch fall silent on immigration ahead of election - - by Alexandra Hudson
MENTION immigrants or integration and Dutch student Stefan Boot rolls his eyes. “I am sick of hearing about it,” says the 24-year-old. Judging by the political campaigns ahead of this month’s general elections in the Netherlands, he is not alone. Immigration, integration and the real nature of tolerance in this famously laid-back country had dominated political debate and sparked agonised soul-searching for the past four years.“By constantly emphasising the ‘them’ and ‘us’ debate, you are constantly emphasising difference. There are other important issues,” said Umar Mirza, a 19-year-old student who runs a Web forum for Dutch Muslims entitled “We are staying here”.
Analysts say that after years of debate and a hardening of positions from left to right, there is little political capital to be gained from playing the tough-on-immigration card.
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