Lawmakers’ statements linked to surge in online racist discourse in Netherlands: Report

By Necva Tastan Sevinc

ISTANBUL (AA)—Negative remarks by lawmakers in the Dutch House of Representatives are contributing to a rise in online discrimination and the normalization of hateful language, according to a report by the State Commission against Discrimination and Racism released on Wednesday.

The findings, based on research conducted by the University of Amsterdam, analyzed tens of thousands of parliamentary speeches and nearly 3 million social media comments over the past decade.

The study found a direct correlation between controversial statements made in parliament, media amplification, and spikes in discriminatory discourse online.

State Commission Chair Joyce Sylvester said the interaction between politicians, traditional media, and social media platforms creates a “negative spiral," Dutch news broadcaster NOS reported.

“What you see is that it explodes: a statement in Parliament, then reprinted in a national newspaper, and then it explodes on social media,” Sylvester said, warning that such repetition leads to the normalization of discriminatory language.

The report noted that the strongest interactions were found in statements concerning Muslims, Jews and people’s origins, though other categories such as gender, age and disability were also affected.

As an example, Sylvester cited remarks by far-right politician Geert Wilders referring to former Deputy Prime Minister Sigrid Kaag as a “witch,” which were widely circulated online and extended to other female politicians.

The State Commission, established in 2022 following the childcare benefits scandal, is tasked with conducting a four-year investigation into discrimination and racism in Dutch society. It urged parliamentary authorities, media outlets and social media platforms to take responsibility and intervene more proactively when discriminatory content appears.