The most appalling example of the lack of ethics and morality in today's politics.

The promise to build ten cities was the factor that drew the majority of the liberal-centre party D66 voters over the threshold, lifting Rob Jetten (and his party) above the rest in 2025. Never before has there been such a massive voter deception as there was then.

For building those ten cities turned out to be a 'metaphor'.

'If you are in the election, you want the most votes. So you do everything for that. After the election, life goes on as usual,' according to Jetten.

The ten cities? Of course not. That was a 'metaphor,' he explained haughtily and condescendingly to the reporters who asked how things stood with those ten cities. As if it concerned a group of idiots.

And no one said a word about it.

A metaphor. Such an erudite term. But since five out of ten Dutch people, including naturalised asylum seekers, do not know what a metaphor is, here is its meaning. A metaphor is a figure of speech. An implicit comparison or similarity. Such as: 'he is a walking encyclopedia.'

The word comes from the Greek metaphora, which means 'transfer' of meaning. Jetten himself does not know what the word metaphor means. Because 'we are going to build ten cities' and not doing so is not a metaphor. That is a lie.

We are going to build ten cities. That is a rock-solid promise. A promise that flawlessly taps into the despair of many people who are at a loss because housing is unavailable. Like promising a starving person on a deserted island a Big Mac. They would lick the dirt from under your toenails for that hamburger.

So, no metaphor then. But merely a very inappropriate manipulation to get the voters on his side. And afterwards? He just said it. 'Just.'

Without the shame that comes with confessing a lie, especially to such a large audience. Calm. With the condescending smile of a poker player pocketing the winnings through cheating. Those ten cities, you can kiss them goodbye.  I said that to win souls.

And it worked.

Metaphor-gate, as I call it, made a lot clear. About Jetten himself, about the character of the Dutch people, and about the fact that the gap between Dutch politics and the citizen is of dimensions that make the Grand Canyon look like a dent in a pack of butter.

Jetten himself is a liar. And Shameless. And arrogant.

That above all.

Anyone who dares to say something like that to the people who elected and pay him, the day after a victory through a lie, completely lacks any sense of proportion. The day after laughingly revealing his election lies, he considers giving himself and his colleagues an 18% salary increase.

No houses for you, and I get a little more than you.

Now, let's look at the lying *and* self-enrichment. Everyone in the Netherlands is worse off, except for The Hague. The plush seats there are untouchable in 2026. Metaphor-gate is an extreme example of that.

Ten cities. A dream. From which the voter was brutally cheated. And what did they do? Were those people who voted for D66 in 2025 full of confidence, driven by hope? Was no one furious?

Young people living in their parents' attics? People who have been on a waiting list for ten years and who read in the newspaper that large families of asylum seekers are getting two houses next to each other, renovations included?

Probably. But that anger didn't show itself. Yes, on Facebook perhaps. Or Insta. And LinkedIn, the new Facebook. And on X.

But the mainstream media, which should have gone out into the streets for once and asked: 'No ten new cities? How does that go down?', remained completely silent.

The Dutchman is a sheep that herds of wolves feed on undisturbed and trample over. The wolves of The Hague anticipate giving themselves a 18% wage increase. And that while the MP's salary is already 205,990, including holiday pay and year-end bonus, but excluding expensive outings, car, buffets in The Hague, telephone costs, and multiple other allowances.

An anticipated increase plucked from the sheep, led by the biggest wolf in sheep's clothing. During his long tenure, his predecessor, Mark Rutte, cultivated The Hague into a pack of hungry opportunists, completely detached from any sense of morality.

Was there anyone there who objected to the 18% salary increase? On top of an above-average wage that includes expenses, chauffeured cars, luxury business trips, a buffet here and there if they have to work a bit late, and 'severance pay' if they don't perform well?

Is there no one there who thinks: the Dutch are not complaining for nothing? Inflation is hitting the roof, and more and more people are ending up at the food bank because we are doing nothing for them. Can I really do that, contractor, in these times? That 18%.

No. No one.

In fact, the largest leader on the “left”, Jesse Klaver—real name Yasser Feras—boasts about his Brioni suit. The leftist who supposedly stands up for the average Joe who buys his clothes at H&M or Hema.

Jetten himself is flying lavishly during his first months instead of addressing issues like the housing shortage and inflation. The herd of Dutch people whose Brioni suits are paid for, and the business-class trips of our pack of politicians, keeps silent.

The elite in The Hague resembles a colony of parasites rather than a representative body. Organisms that take life rather than give it. With one exception: life is given exclusively to the species they produce. So that their continued existence is guaranteed.

Margriet Marbus is a well-known Dutch journalist and author known for her razor-sharp analyses and investigative journalism. This is her first contribution to The Liberum.