The parliamentary year kicks off, but did MPs really have a break. There are renewed calls to put a Nazi war criminal behind bars. A photo exhibition promotes tolerance towards sexual diversity in the Netherlands. And the devil’s double is in Amsterdam, while prize winning dogs swelter in the heat in Leeuwarden.

Parliamentary year off to a not so fresh start
Today is the opening of the new parliamentary year, but according to de Volkskrant MPs have hardly had a break. The entire Lower House returned early from recess this summer as a result of the Greek economic tragedy and the deepening euro crisis.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte may be in for a rough ride. He has already made a couple of large blunders when he forgot to mention 50 billion euros during his presentation of the salvage package for the Greek economy. He also underestimated the fuss caused by the Finnish deal with Greece. The paper writes that the prime minister is damaged but he can thank his lucky stars that the opposition is more divided than the coalition. Although the Freedom Party votes against the government when it suits them, the party is not about to let the cabinet fall. Meanwhile the opposition is in disarray.

The paper says Labour leader Job Cohen is still failing to attain the stature of a true leader of the opposition. The Socialist Party has surpassed Labour in the polls thanks to its anti-European views. The Green Left party is sustaining blows every time there is negative publicity surrounding the Kunduz police training mission, and the D66 democrats seem to have no other choice than to be ‘constructive ‘.

Meanwhile nrc.next focuses on the explosive increase in the number of parliamentary questions being asked. In its commentary the paper says asking parliamentary questions is really just a way of attracting attention. The best way to stem the flow of questions would be simply to ignore them.

Renewed calls to punish Nazi war criminal
There have been renewed calls for a Dutch-born Nazi war criminal to be put behind bars. According to De Telegraaf and AD, Klaas Carel Faber has become the most sought war criminal on the Simon Wiesenthal Centre’s list (since the death of fellow Nazi Sándor Krépíró).

The Dutch SS-er was sentenced to death in the Netherlands after World War II, but his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. He was found guilty of murdering 22 resistance fighters. However, he escaped from prison in 1952 and fled to Germany where former members of the SS automatically receive German nationality. Germany does not extradite its citizens, so the 89-year-old has been living as a free man ever since.

At a press conference Efraim Zuroff of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, which investigates Nazi war criminals, said “This man does not deserve pity because he is old […] He did not take pity on his victims.” The centre wants Dutch MPs to ask the government to put pressure on the Germans to at least make him sit out his sentence in Germany.

A picture of tolerance in the Netherlands
Shoppers in the suburbs of Amsterdam are being treated to a free photo exhibition showing the winning entries for the Pride Photo Award for sexual and gender diversity. First prize went to a photo by Trea van Drunen of Léon, a 12-year-old boy who was born a girl.

Trouw prints a picture of Moroccan women looking up at the blown up photos. The exhibition is being held in city districts where the population is more ethnically diverse because the organisers believe there is more work to be done here with regard to tolerance towards sexual diversity.

The same paper reports on a study by the Netherlands Institute for Social Research which reveals that the Dutch are more tolerant than other Europeans towards homosexuality. The number of people with negative attitudes towards homosexuality dropped from 15 percent in 2006 to 10 percent in 2010.

Intolerance is mainly found among ethnic minority groups, orthodox religious groups and the under-16s.
When asked if they feel less safe than last year, 21 percent of gay men and 13 percent of lesbians said yes. Twenty percent of homosexuals do not reveal their sexual identity at work.

The devil’s double is in Amsterdam
While Libyan rebels seek Muammar Gaddafi and his tyrannical sons, Uday Hussein’s double is walking around Amsterdam reports de Volkskrant. Latif Yahia was forced to become a double of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s son as a protection measure.

Mr Yahia wrote two books on his experiences. Now James Bond movie director Lee Tamahori has put his story The Devil’s Double on the silver screen. As the film was financed with Dutch and Flemish money, the premiere was in Amsterdam’s Tuschinski theatre last night. The author admits he had to take six valium tablets before watching the film.

Dog’s life for prize canines
Last weekend, police had to be called in to rescue more than 30 dogs which were found suffering from overheating in a car park, Trouw reports. No, it wasn’t down to mass forgetfulness on the part of dog owners who had left their pooches behind while taking a stroll in the park.

The animals were attending the Euro Dog Show in Leeuwarden - the Netherlands biggest dog show with some 12,000 entries. But it didn’t occur to the owners that their prize exhibits were panting all over their glossy coats in the baking sun out on the parking lot. Unfortunately four dogs succumbed to the heat and lack of water. One owner had left 14 dogs locked in a car.