The NRC Today episode ‘How Eric Wiebes’ gas mission failed in Groningen’ won the PrinsjesPodcast Prize on Thursday, the prize for the best podcast episode. In the episode dissects NRC-investigative journalist Derk Stokmans the choices of former minister Eric Wiebes (Economic Affairs, VVD), who tried in vain to smooth the recovery operation in Groningen. “It is incredibly clever that this podcast makes a very complicated story understandable in a very short time,” said jury member Splinter Chabot.
‘At home with Caroline van der Plas’ from the podcast De Binnenkamer and ‘De Stemwijzer and the Kieskompas are full of spin’ from De Spindoctors were also nominated. A difficult choice, said jury member Merel Ek. “The decisive factor was the way in which the medium was used.”
The best political photo was taken by David van Dam, commissioned by de Volkskrant. Through the window of the Trêves Hall on the Binnenhof he saw State Secretary Eric van der Burg (Asylum, VVD), on the evening that the Rutte IV cabinet fell. Van der Burg has put his face in his hands.
Best political book
This year the PrinsjesBook Prize goes to: Our Constitution by Wim Voermans, professor of constitutional and administrative law at Leiden University. The book “can rightly be called Voermans’ magnum opus,” writes the jury. “The love for the Constitution radiates from every page.”
In 911 pages, Voermans guides the reader through the Dutch Constitution. The first part, a history of the Constitution, “is really something you read for fun,” wrote NRC earlier. In the second part, Voermans goes through the Constitution article by article. According to the jury, “thanks to the smooth writing style, it remains interesting until the last page.”
The other nominees this year were Maxim Februari met Act normally yourself and Ruud Koopmans with The Asylum Lottery. The jury, which consisted of former PvdA leader Lilianne Ploumen, NRCeditor Floor Boon and political scientist Tom van der Meer, write that all three books invite discussion. “These are books that you not only want to read, but that you want to share.”
Also read You can read this colossal reference work on the Constitution for fun