Dear prospective Member of Parliament, thank you for registering for the mandatory Basic Knowledge and Scientifically Responsible Reasoning (BKWVR) test. Failure to pass this test may result in your position being reconsidered. Not every question has categorically wrong answers, but careless reasoning can occur everywhere. You are requested to justify your answers; a maximum of 200 words are available for this purpose. Consulting external human or artificial intelligence is permitted, provided the source is stated. Correspondence will be held about the results.
1. Why is scarcity a core concept in politics?
A. Without scarcity there is no economic growth;
b. Without scarcity there is no social redistribution;
c. Without scarcity, no taxation;
D. Otherwise, namely….
2. Greenhouse gas emissions in the EU decreased in the first quarter of 2023 compared to 2022. However, climate efforts must be increased because:
A. The EU lags behind other major economies;
b. The EU committed itself to this under the Paris Agreement;
c. The annual growth of emissions will increase for the time being;
D. It is incorrect that emissions have decreased.
3. Getting citizens in low-income groups to eat healthier is a persistent challenge. The priority is:
A. Reducing VAT on all fruit and vegetables;
b. Mandatory introduction of school meals;
c. Expanding food banks;
D. No action necessary: healthy eating follows education and income automatically.
4. What is the Gini coefficient and how is it affected?
A. A measure of income distribution;
b. A measure of poverty;
c. A measure of economic stability;
D. All of the above, but what counts is the perception of politicians.
5. What arguments support the transition to a hydrogen economy?
A. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe;
b. The pipelines are already suitable for hydrogen;
c. Hydrogen is easy to produce with (cheap) electricity;
D. Hydrogen is a bad idea compared to the alternatives.
6. The godwit must be protected because:
A. It has symbolic value as our National Bird;
b. It is an indispensable indicator of biodiversity;
c. He demonstrates the health of organic pasture management;
D. It is nonsense to protect the godwit.
7. The addition of a single, already known gene to a plant results in:
A. An organism that is prohibited in the Netherlands;
b. A product for which permission must be requested from the EU;
c. A so-called single-gene product, for which regulation is unnecessary;
D. A product that can be used in organic production provided it makes chemicals unnecessary.
8. Because there are more subsequent travelers than asylum seekers almost every year, it must:
A. Accommodation must be arranged before subsequent travel is permitted;
b. A work permit for subsequent travelers will be granted upon arrival;
c. Training for following travelers, including minors, in professions where there is scarcity will become mandatory;
D. Reunion travel will be discouraged and the policy will be adjusted to asylum seekers from unsafe countries.
9. What do you consider to be the biggest breakthrough in making the Netherlands future-proof?
A. Reduction of public bureaucracy;
b. Strengthening the innovative manufacturing industry, the Netherlands as ‘Siliconpolder’;
c. Modernization of the infrastructure for the Netherlands as a high-quality transit country;
D. Making the (financial) services sector smart and transparent.
10. With two wars (Ukraine, Israel) on the borders of Europe, the Netherlands must take a leading role. So:
A. The defense budget must increase to NATO standards;
b. A humanitarian service obligation for conflict areas must be introduced, for men and women;
c. The Netherlands must invest in new generations of diplomats and defense specialists;
D. The Netherlands has no expertise and must only support the European line.
11. A fully sustainable society is possible if:
A. All waste is recycled;
b. Material imports and exports are in balance;
c. All energy comes from ‘green’ sources;
D. By definition impossible and too expensive.