Mathijs van de Sande at Nijmegen protest against education budget cuts: “All that is left to us is to strike!”

Wednesday 250 staff members and students of Radboud University cycled to Nijmegen City Hall to ask our fellow city members and city administration for support in our struggle against budget cuts. GroenLinks-PvdA MP Lisa Westerveld gave a great speech on how our extreme Right government undermines democracy. Here’s my speech.

Dear colleagues, dear students

First of all, I would like to thank you all for joining us here today. One would assume that we, members of a structurally overworked workforce, have something better to do this afternoon. One would assume that it should no longer be necessary to explain, once again, why it is such a bad idea to cut two billion euros on education. One would assume that our arguments have been heard by now, that our societal relevance and contribution as teachers and researchers is widely recognized. But unfortunately, none of this appears to be the case.

During the past months we have organized many meetings and protest actions on our campuses. We have had two national mobilizations: one on 14 November in Utrecht – which was a great success, notwithstanding the attempts of local authorities to suppress it – and one on 25 November- which brought together 25.000 students and academics who had one shared message: don’t do it! Do not cut on higher education.

Yet, they did not listen to us.

When we presented this government with rational arguments and proof to support our claim that accessible higher education is a necessary condition for an equal society and for social emancipation – they did not listen.

When we told them that these cuts and new legislation against the internationalization of higher education would only have a disastrous effect on the international position and relevance of Dutch academia – they did not listen.

When we told Nieuw Sociaal Contract, which presents itself as the most principied coalition party in this government, that these cuts only served to undermine democracy and the rule of law – they did not listen.

When we told VVD, this supposedly “liberal” coalition party, that these cuts are damaging the economy and that even some of the major industries in this country are adamantly apposed to them – they did not listen.

When we told BBB that “innovation” – especially in their beloved agricultural industry – is impossible without academic research – they did not listen.

When we told the socalled “constructive” members of the opposition (such as CDA and ChristenUnie) that it does not matter if you cut two billion euros, or 1.7 billion, or 1.3 billion, because it will be equally destructive of higher education – they did not listen.

When we told our university boards that it was time to stop lobbying behind the screens, and instead openly confront this extreme Right government and its structural attack against the public sector, against higher education and free press – they did not listen.

We have come to the conclusion that in this socalled “debate”, arguments do not matter. They never did. No matter what we said, no matter whom we tried to address – they did not listen. They were never willing to listen in the first place. These budget cuts have nothing to do with the cost of education. They have nothing to do with “efficiency”, not even with a lack of public funds. These budget cuts serve a political purpose and a political purpose only – which is to undermine academia, to end academic freedom.

If the House of Representatives votes in favour of budget cuts tomorrow, then all that is left to us – all that we can do to make them listen to us is to use our ultimate means of pressure: which is to strike. We have done everything to avoid this, in the interest of our students, but this is really our only option left. So let us be very clear to the people in The Hague: if you don’t listen to us now, we will make you listen. We will escalate this and we will strike.

Finally, we are turning to our local community. To the inhabitants, politicians and policy makers of Nijmegen. We know that you are not responsible for these budget cuts. We know that you don’t want them either. There is a lot at stake for our city too: these cuts may lead to the cancellation of entire academic programs and courses. This will affect the accessibility of higher education for young people in this region. These cuts will make higher education a privilege again. They may even result in massive lay-offs – which inevitably will affect our city and many of its inhabitants. It will also affect the vibrant cultural and student life in our city. Imagine what Nijmegen will be like if no one has time for an active student life or for public lectures and cultural events. In short, it will be bad for all of us.

So we are asking you, our fellow inhabitants of Nijmegen: do whatever you can to support our cause. Stand with us, especially when we need to take further action in the weeks and months to come. Make sure that everyone knows that Nijmegen can not and will not accept these budget cuts!

Mathijs van de Sande

(Lid van WOinActie Nijmegen)