Koning
 

First off: Gelukkig Koning Dag!! Orange-Nassau!!! :)

I was wondering what is the opinion of our fellow Dutchmen here regarding monarchy. I think it is said that the Netherlands is one of the most republican country in Europe in mentality, despite the Dutch monarchy being so respected*.
Is having a King nice, useful or even indispensable?

Anyway, the Queen is not dead, long live the King! [king]

* This is one comment from someone living in one of the most monarchical country in Europe in mentality, despite some already long history of Republic. ;)

The Netherlands was a republic at the height of it's power, personally I wouldn't know why we wouldn't go back to that form of government.

+1

Nonsence. Queensday/Kingsday is one of the best parties of the year.

You could have President Day instead, and that party could still be great. :confused:

It would not work.

I happened to have had a small talk with an elder lady here in Groningen. She was so tremendously touched by the whole spectacle. "And Máxima is such a beautiful lady, isn't she?" That sort of stuff. It's not my alley, but then again, I was on the centre square (de Dam) during the ceremony and even while we were watching it all on the screen, the sober me felt like being part of something very special. A Russian friend of mine was there too. I asked her if she wasn't bored, cos it was all in Dutch, but she had the same feeling as I did and was glad she witnessed it all.

There is a valid discussion about political power, in which one does have to realise the power is very relative. But judging on the sentiment of the people, you don't want to take that away from them. The monarchy is way too popular for that.

I was about to say that, indeed, it takes as much as cutting heads for monarchy to become less popular, but then I remembered the difficulties currently experienced by the royal family in Spain.
But then, I'd rather have a (almost useless) King and good, social dynamics (NL) than a President and heavy fuckness as here in France.

I am a Monarchist.
Why ? Read the book "Icon" by Frederick Forsyth.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icon_(novel)

I read the plot on wikipedia, but don't really see a correlation. (And I don't read books really.)