Haiti is still the main news in many of today's papers. International aid efforts are slowly beginning to get off the ground and most of the papers announce that Dutch television and radio stations will stage a benefit day for Haiti this Thursday. In contrast to many of the photos in last week's papers, when Dutch politicians looked grim and serious, this morning's dailies are full of smiling, happy politicians, out pressing the flesh in an attempt to charm the public and win votes for the March local elections. What a difference a week makes!

Local election campaign kicks off
Nrc.next opens its coverage of the local council polls with a two-page article summing up the election strategies and promises from the Labour Party, the Christian Democrat CDA and the conservative VVD. The paper focuses on these three parties as their fortunes are mirrored in the changing landscape of Dutch political life; 20 years ago, these ‘big three’ won 82 percent of the vote between them, taking 125 of the 150 seats in parliament’s lower house. Over the last decade, voters have switched allegiance on a massive scale and the former ‘big three’ have seen their popularity halved.

Under the headline, "CDA wants to project trustworthy image," the paper writes that Christian Democrat Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende's party isn't worried about the cabinet's unpopularity and is convinced its national database will help it “present arguments that are tailor-made for every potential voter.”

Deputy Prime Minister Wouter Bos kicked off Labour's campaign both literally and figuratively by staging a football match between local and national labour politicians. Red Labour flags, balloons, folders and posters were everywhere and Mr Bos promised to "re-connect with the voter," by "going door-to-door, street to street, from city to village".

The conservative VVD, on the opposition benches for the last few years, believes it will profit from public dissatisfaction with the governing coalition and is presenting a ‘back to basics’ campaign focusing on its traditional business and financial acumen to lure voters.

Financial crisis commission starts hearings
Trouw writes that the parliamentary investigative committee - the De Wit Commission - investigating the economic crisis starts public hearings today and over the next three weeks, bankers, politicians, researchers and financial regulators will be asked to explain why the global credit crisis hit the Netherlands so hard.

De Telegraaf writes that the commission has been charged with assessing and evaluating whether the Dutch cabinet and financial regulators response to the international credit crisis was "quick and effective".

The De Wit Commission will not issue its report until the beginning of May, too late to affect the outcome of the March local elections.

Adoption of Haitian orphans speeded up
The disaster in Haiti is still the main story in most of this morning's papers, and the plight of the Caribbean nation's orphans is the focus of many articles. AD’s front-page headline reads "Warm welcome for adoptees," while Trouw goes with "Adoption of Haitian kids speeded up".

AD reports that the Netherlands has accelerated the adoption procedures and a total of 120 Haitian orphans will be brought to the Netherlands. A specially chartered aircraft will depart for the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince on Monday to bring 109 orphans to the Netherlands; 11 children arrived in Eindhoven on Sunday.

Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin allowed the children to be brought here on "humanitarian grounds". The paper writes that the adoption procedure for all 120 kids was either near completion or completely finalised.

Bill proposes banning teens from bars
Trouw reports that the Christian Union, the smallest member of the three-party coalition government, has added an amendment to the new alcohol, hotel, restaurant and catering bill, that would allow municipalities to force bars and cafes to ban under 16s after 10 p.m. The amendment also allows municipalities to require bars, cafes and nightclubs to deny entry to the under 18s after 1 a.m.

The paper writes that owners of establishments selling alcohol will be required to enforce the law themselves. The biggest coalition partner - the Christian Democrats - has long been a supporter of national guidelines for tying closing times to age, as long as the regulations only apply to the under 21s.

Blue Monday
AD reports that today is Blue Monday, the most depressing day of the year. The paper warns that for those who are reading the paper at work, "it's too late. Today is the best day to stay in bed with the curtains closed and the blankets pulled over your head".

According to a formula devised by a psychologist and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) expert, Monday the 18th of January is the most depressing day of the year. Although other experts doubt the scientific veracity of the formula, AD says there's plenty to be depressed about; the joys of Christmas are long behind us, New Year's resolutions have failed and it is dark, cold, wet and miserable outside.

However, this should all mean that we can now look forward to around 51 happier Mondays, although I have my doubts about that.