Prof. Dr. Wouter Veenendaal, a professor by special appointment in Kingdom Relations and associate professor of comparative politics at the Institute of Political Science of Leiden University, held his inaugural speech yesterday, Monday. Veenendaal held his inaugural speech as holder of the professor chair Democratic Representation in the Kingdom. Ministry of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations (BZK) established this professor chair last year.

Research agenda

During his oration, titled ‘Based on equality? Scale and democracy in the Kingdom’, Veenendaal expounded on the various parts of his research agenda as holder of the professor chair. For the professor chair Veenendaal has set two objectives: the securing and expanding of research of the Kingdom and the Kingdom relations, and the promoting of the collaboration in the area of research and education with universities and scientists on the Caribbean islands. To give content to the latter, Veenendaal has recruited three local research assistants in Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten. Together with Veenendaal, they will carry out research in the coming years as a kingdom-wide research team.

Four research lines

During his oration, Veenendaal explained the four research lines of his professor chair which he hopes to set out in the coming years. These are: politics and democracy on the Caribbean islands in the Kingdom; democratic representation of the Caribbean islands in the Kingdom; the perception of the Kingdom relations in the European Netherlands; and a comparative research of other non-sovereign territories.

Opinion poll

During his speech at the university on Monday, Veenendaal also announced the first results of an opinion poll that he had carried out among residents of the European Netherlands before his oration. The opinion poll was carried out under the LISS panel of the University of Tilburg. Some 2,700 people took part in this research and answered various know-how and opinion questions about the Kingdom. It is the first time that an opinion poll of this size about the Kingdom was carried out in the Netherlands.

More positive view

The results of the opinion poll show that people in the European Netherlands know little about the Kingdom and the Kingdom relations. Only fewer than one quarter says that they know about it.  Still, they have a more positive view of the Kingdom relations than often thought.

For example, a majority is of the opinion that residents of the island should remain able to freely move to the Netherlands and that the Netherlands has the moral duty to take care of the islands. The biggest group also finds that the Netherlands should financially support the islands and that residents of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba should have the same social facilities as in the European Netherlands.

Lots of ceremonial

Formally Veenendaal’s inaugural speech meant the formal acceptance of his position as professor by special appointment. An oration is an important event with lots of ceremonial. As usual, other professors attended the oration, dressed in a robe.

Supervisory committee

The supervisory committee for the professor chair , also named the ‘curatorium’, consists of chairperson Professor Anthropology of Sustainable Development and Means of Existence at Leiden University Marja Spierenburg, Professor Emeritus Colonial and Post-Colonial History at Leiden University Gert Oostindie, Associate Professor Political Science and Research Director of the Institute of Political Science of Leiden University Tom Louwerse and Director Kingdom Relations Countries of the Ministry of BZK Saskia de Reuver.

Knowledge development

De Reuver congratulated Veenendaal on behalf of the Directorate-general Kingdom Relations of the Ministry of BZK. ‘The professor chair that Veenendaaal holds is very important for the knowledge development in and about the Kingdom. It is great to see that Wouter takes on this task with such enthusiasm and professionality’.

RCN