Season 15

When the MeToo movement began in 2017, it led to a wave of attention for sexually transgressive behavior. Experiences were shared more and more often. Various stories appeared in the media and education was also reported. For example, the rector magnificus of Radboud University was said to have been guilty of sexual harassment. Initially, the shock was great, but doubts about the seriousness of the allegations and the accuracy of the reporting soon followed. How can the media report carefully on such sensitive issues? And what are the consequences of publicity for victims and the accused?

In February 2025, an uproar arose over the Ramadan Expo in Utrecht, to which controversial Islamic preachers from abroad had been invited. Minister Faber and Van Weel wanted to deny the preachers entry to the Netherlands but were overruled by the court. An online campaign against the judge and his family ensued, after which the court filed a complaint of doxing. The issue led to tensions between politicians and the judiciary and raised questions about freedom of expression and the role of the media. A reconstruction of a controversy that demonstrates the fragility of the rule of law, including in the Netherlands.

In January, De Telegraaf led with a story about an alleged lobbying scandal in Brussels: the European Commission was allegedly paying environmental organizations to influence MEPs. Politicians reacted with outrage, and the news spread throughout Europe. Journalists and the European Commission largely debunked the story, but MEPs continued to use it to make their case. NGOs in Brussels see this as a pattern of political attacks, similar to what previously occurred in Poland, Hungary, and under Trump.