The last evening, an exciting neck-and-neck race, the final debate. “Stars are born and stars are extinguished,” said Eva Jinek about the election campaign. It Eight o’clock news and RTL News However, they did not open on Tuesday with the elections, but with Marco Borsato.
They were probably also happy that they had something different after a month of campaigning. The popular singer had to appear before the Utrecht court and before eighty journalists because he was suspected of indecency with a minor. “The showbiz trial of the century,” according to RTL Boulevard. His lawyer Carry Knoops-Hamburger watched with pity as Borsato was surrounded by an army of journalists in front of his door. She mentioned it trial by media. Or rather she said: “This is what you call trial…or how do you say that? A circus.”
Trial by Media: the idea that Borsato has been convicted prematurely due to the years of press attention for this case. However, trial by media can also work to his advantage. RTL Boulevard thought it was “very intense” for Borsato that he attracted so much media attention. Entertainment expert Aran Bade said movingly: “A man who was so great – a career of thirty years – and now so small, insignificant, who has to fight his way to court through the press.” The Boulevard camera crew was at the front.
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RTL Boulevard – the main tribunal in this regard trial by media – felt sorry for Borsato anyway. His defense consisted of outlining the loose sexual morality in the family of the fifteen-year-old girl he allegedly groped. The mother, chairman of the Borsato fan club, is said to have sexualized her daughter.
Not a very strong story for the court. If Borsato means to say that he was provoked, then this is at odds with his firm denial. And whether provoked or not, indecently touching a fifteen-year-old is a punishable offense in any case. But thanks to Borsato’s many detailed examples of family lasciviousness, the story moved on RTL Boulevard like cake. Criminal defense attorney Clarice Stenger had empathy for Borsato and was scathing about the mother. After all, the victim can suddenly be identified as the perpetrator before a media tribunal. And if she is too young for that role, then you take her mother.
Fortunately, crime journalist John van den Heuvel kept a cool head: “It is not the case that the mother can be held responsible for Borsato’s actions.”
‘Smurf debate’
NPO 1 was filled with the final debate. Two debates actually, plus a preview and afterthought Eva and Pauw & De Wit. Together more than five hours of television. The debate with the major parties produced little news. This time no one talked over each other and there was no arguing, which was boring. VVD leader Dilan Yesilgöz was the best at shaking his head no when the other person said something. CDA leader Henri Bontenbal again kept his mouth shut. And D66 leader Rob Jetten was champion again.
The support program was very nice: the debate between the leading parties of the small parties. This “Smurf debate” (Pechtold 2006) addressed the important issues that were sparsely covered in the major debates: the climate crisis, racism in politics, and the genocide in Gaza. The Smurfs debated much more sharply than the major party leaders. Stephan van Baarle of Denk, for example, accused Forum leader Lidewij de Vos of “fascist skullduggery”. At least that will stick.
The Smurfs may have less power, said Mirjam Bikker of the Christian Union, but they are the “tastemakers” in parliament who come up with fresh ideas. For example, SGP leader Chris Stoffer had an unexpected solution to the housing shortage: people had to divorce less. Stoffer argued for more relationship therapy.
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