Hold onto your wooden clogs, folks. Just when you thought bureaucratic overreach was a strictly American pastime, your friends across the pond have decided to toss our hats — or should I say, tulips — into the ring. Meet Minister Hugo de Jonge, a prominent figure from the CDA party in the Netherlands, who’s set his sights on an audacious power play of his own.
Mr. De Jonge recently introduced a housing bill so outrageous, it makes one wonder whether he got his political education from George Orwell’s 1984. The bill, you see, stipulates that houses priced up to €355,000 (roughly $420,000) should no longer be sold freely. Instead, municipalities could force homeowners to sell their homes only to people with low and middle incomes.
In essence, De Jonge has decided that homeowners’ individual freedom — the right to decide for themselves to whom they want to sell their homes — should be an artifact of the past. The government, in its infinite wisdom, now aims to dictate market value and access to homes.
Critics are rightly concerned about the impact of this housing bill on the market. They argue that restricting the target market for the sale of homes could lead to reduced interest and lower prices, thus potentially deflating home values. Furthermore, it begs the question of whether the government has the right to force homeowners to manage their property in this way.
Dutch commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek took to Twitter to condemn this horrible new bill:
🇳🇱 Now that the totalitarian Dutch government learned they can effectively crack down on our farmers’ property rights, they’re coming after ordinary citizens next:
An insane new Housing Act will allow municipalities to force homeowners to sell their homes ONLY to people with a…
— Eva Vlaardingerbroek (@EvaVlaar) June 22, 2023
De Jonge’s apparent goal is to stimulate circulation in the housing market and reduce the gap between income groups. But these noble intentions could ironically create more roadblocks for individuals who want to invest in housing and hamper the flexibility of the housing market.
Lastly, let’s not overlook the fundamental issue at hand: the undesirable and alarming extent to which the government is attempting to control the sale of housing. Such restrictions on freedom of choice and individual rights run counter to the ideals of a free society, where citizens should be able to take responsibility for their own property.
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Sadly, from the looks of it, De Jonge will most likely get his way. Even an opposition party — the PVV of Geert Wilders — says that although they oppose it for houses that are already in existence, they do support the bill for homes yet to be built. In other words, if a Dutchman was planning to build his home 2 years from now, he’s just out of darn luck if he ever wants to sell it.
So, my American friends, next time you catch yourself bemoaning the state of affairs in your country, remember: the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Sometimes, it’s just a different shade of bureaucratic red tape.
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