A primary forest is a pristine forest that has never been altered by human activity. It is a precious ecosystem, particularly for its biodiversity. Globally, only 1,180,000,000 hectares  remain, primarily in six countries: Brazil, Canada, the United States, Russia, China, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These forests have almost vanished elsewhere due to centuries of agricultural expansion, logging, mining, and urban development that permanently transformed natural land

Photo taken from the intro of the YouTube video “ Miu Miu Women's Tales #21 - Shangri-La”. On 25 November, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, it is important to remember that sexual abuse and harassment are still too prevalent in our world. While some acts of violence repeated are extremely brutal, others may seem milder but share the same violent essence in nature.  Several short films by the Miu Miu (a luxury brand created by Miuccia Prada) den

October 29, 2025. 9 pm. The results of a closer-than-ever election appear on Dutch television. The centrist liberals of D66 are ahead of the vote, the culmination of a remarkable comeback in the final days of the campaign. Led by a young front-runner, 38-year-old Rob Jetten, they embody a new era for Dutch and European politics. At the end of August, polls gave D66 around 10 seats in the Tweede Kamer. Today, they are the largest party in the Netherlands, with 26 seats, and ha

The bullet that killed Charlie Kirk did more than end a life. It exposed a nation already bleeding from within. I realized how deep the wound had become last week while standing in the backyard of a house party in Santa Barbara. The music was loud and the conversations drifted from finals to travel plans. Everything felt light until someone mentioned Kirk’s assassination. One guest immediately laughed and celebrated his death as if it were a joke, reenacting the moment Kirk w

Eyes on Chilean Cinema Allende making a speech. Photo taken from the Battle of Chile, The Coup d’Etat by Patricio Guzmán / Atacama Productions / ICAIC - Instituto Cubano de Arte e Industria Cinematográfico. Por la razón o la fuerza. By reason or by force.   This proverb is Chile's national motto, reflecting the Chilean republic's desire to assert its right to exist in the face of the colonising powers of the 19th century. Chile shall defend its rights through diplomacy and re

On October 30, 2025, the Latvian Parliament voted to withdraw  from the Istanbul Convention, with 56 votes in favour, 32 against and 2 abstentions. If confirmed, Latvia would become the first EU member state to leave the Council of Europe’s treaty on preventing and combating gender based violence.  International observers, including the Council of Europe and women’s rights organisations, have criticised the withdrawal vote as a setback for gender equality in Europe. They have

October 29th saw the Dutch return to the polls to decide on the fate of their new government. At the center of the debate were issues like housing and migration, but this is not the whole picture. The last government led by Geert Wilders fell due to his strong anti immigration stances, which often went against EU law. His extreme demands did not sit right with the other parties in the coalition, the VVD, NSC, and BBB, and as such it will be interesting to see how this will in

Shadows of the Past, Fights of the Future Dear reader, welcome to your weekly Sunday night blues remedy! Tonight, we are travelling across the continents, amidst the phantoms of the past and the troubles of global diplomacy.  13 Novembre : La France se souvient* *France remembers  As a French writer, it would have been hard for me to dismiss the subject of the commemoration of the terrorist attacks  of November 13, 2015, which changed French society forever. On this night, th

With the Chilean presidential elections being held tomorrow, November 16 will be an important day for Chile. A Marxist communist president may be elected, the first since Salvador Allende ( 1970-1973 ); his legacy brings back painful memories to the coup d’état before the violent dictatorship . To honor and remember the victims of these frightful years, a museum was created, instilling their legacy in a national one. I will showcase the archives of the Museum of Memory and Hu

Suharto Titled “ National Hero ” On November 10 2025, Indonesia conferred the title of   Gelar Pahlawan Nasional  (“ National Hero ”) on former President Suharto, prompting widespread discussion. Such an act matters far beyond symbolic commemoration: it revives public debate over historical memory, addresses issues of transitional justice, and interprets the legacy of its authoritarian era. Many domestic and international observers have read the award as part of a broader pol

After a long day at the university, do you often find yourself seeking entertainment in parody shows like SNL or South Park? While you may be a fan of these programs, you might not be fully aware of the legal issues they can raise. For instance, the majority of the spectators do not think about whether by the creation of the parody the rights of the original creator were harmed. Such legal implications go by unnoticed by most, whereas due to its popularity of parody it would

Figure 1 : Place to Stay Music Festival at the B, Maastricht, September 12th 2025 Picture: Camiel van der Heijden “Essentially, what it comes down to is community, ” says Yvette Ojo. “ That is the aim of Place to Stay. ”  Music, art, and compassion. These are the building blocks of the recently founded Maastricht collective. Through their festivals, Place to Stay  turns creativity into an act of care, developing spaces where art meets solidarity and where people come together

‘Blocchiamo Tutto’ Despite the first autumn downpours, the largest Italian cities were still scorching of heat in September. Streets, schools, railway stations and ports became epicenters of anger channeled by masses of twenty-something year olds, rallying for Gaza. The popular movement to bloccare tutto - block everything - spilled over the entire country, resulting in nationwide strikes backed by unions, and large-scale demonstrations, most notably the one on September 22.

Dear Reader, welcome back to your Sunday Summary! This week, we focus on the United States and the major left-wing wins. Ballots were sent in Virginia, New Jersey, California, Texas, and New York City. California and Texas voted on amendments, whilst the East Coast side elected new federal offices. Proposition 50,  approved by California voters, allows the state legislature to redraw California’s U.S. House districts until after the 2030 Census. This amendment is predicted t

Nations insisting on investing in a temporary medicine for a deadly disease is how to best describe current climate change policy. However, instead I urge for us to focus on a solution for the structural origins of the climate change issue. It ’s as if we are prescribing medication to an obese person who wants to lose weight and expect this is all that's necessary. Whereas the more effective and preventative solution would be to exercise and eat well. This same logic applies

It’s a wrap! Legislative elections took place on October 29, 2025, and it is time for us to summarize everything you must know about the outcome of the vote. You can easily get lost when looking at the winners, losers, surprise outsiders, and seeing a Parliament in such a fragmented  state…  To help us understand more about these results, we explored press articles and analyses. Also, on election night, a team of Maastricht Diplomat journalists attended the Studio Europa  eve

On October 29, 2025, the French Senate passed a bill introducing the notion of consent into national law, marking a major reform of the country’s approach to sexual violence. The legislation now defines consent as “ free and informed, specific, prior, and revocable, ”  and clarifies that silence or lack of resistance cannot be interpreted as consent. This means that now, under the French Penal Code, any sexual act without such consent will constitute sexual assault. This refo

From the womb, our mothers cry out with joy Happy at the thought of having a daughter  For their silent prayers have been heard  To have someone to hold dear   And the fathers who look forward to having a daughter Shout like a town crier on the street Others watch, a fool they all think he is  But they know what they seek A daughter, a symbol of riches, love and blessings – No lies have been told But daughters, do you know?   Mother and father shout “You are all equal in this

Dear Reader - you have guessed correctly, Sunday Summaries are back in fashion at the Maastricht Diplomat! So, if you would like a recap of the week’s essentials, you are in the right place. This week in particular has been eventful on the international stage with devastating news emerging from Gaza, the Caribbean, and Rio. Additionally, the general elections in the Netherlands have taken place. Read on to learn more about what took place this past week. Violence in Gaza The

Just as the sun rises each morning and sets each evening, the inevitable is upon us. Society is tipping into a critical state. Inequality is growing, democracies are swerving to the extreme right, the environment is collapsing, and the social and political quandaries of today are bigger than ever. Some would say we are moving backwards, with violence and injustice becoming customary, while equality and empathy slowly disappear.  Tragically, countless communities are facing un

Her lungs stung with each breath she took in, the air like needles against her cheeks as she sped over the cobblestones. The sun had long set, the moon had not shown itself that night, and the sky hung heavy, as if smothered under damp wool. With each strong lash of wind leaving her face raw, she clung onto her scarf tighter, slick with mist. She hurried to reach the faculty library in time. The only thing aiding her vision were the streetlights, bleeding their reflection int

Statements of empowerment fuel Western feminism. The “Girl Boss” era left its mark on our culture through a legacy of stories like “Legally Blonde”, “Erin Brockovich”, “The Devil Wears Prada”, and “Gilmore Girls”. The protagonists of these stories were always ambitious and driven, working hard to balance their professional and public lives, all on their own. Women are superheroes who can do it all; in most cases, they can do it on their own, too. This culture and representati

Sitting with some friends at the terrace of a GS25 in Hongdae, we were celebrating the end of our midterms with Korean beer and peach soju. Before arriving at a consensus on what to do next - either playing darts at Corner PUB or dancing at MON5 - a Korean man kindly asked to sit with us. Gladly welcoming him, intrigued by the newcomer’s confidence and boldness, we resumed our varied discussions. At first, I didn’t pick up much of what he was saying from across the table, but

It is election day in The Netherlands and I, like many, cannot help but be pessimistic. Only two years ago I found myself in this same place: the voting booth. It was my first time voting for the national elections and, even though I was far from content with the Dutch political situation, I was cautiously optimistic, hoping for improvement. Now I am here again and my cautious optimism has made place for regrettable pessimism. Instead of stability and solutions, we experience

D-1 Tomorrow, Dutch voters will go to the polls for what could be the most decisive legislative elections in recent decades. Indeed, the Netherlands can turn the page on the far right and place the left-wing coalition ahead. On October 29, young voters will head to voting stations, hoping to find solutions to issues that matter most to them. Many students feel a growing gap between political promises and their daily realities. Some candidates try to appeal to the youth, using

Eyes on Iranian Cinema Source:   IMDb, Still from the film Holy Spider, directed by Ali Abbasi (2022). ز گهواره تا گور دانش بجوی Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave. Directed by Ali Abbasi   and sadly inspired by real events that took place in Iran in the early 2000s. A thriller set in Mashhad , one of Iran's largest holy cities, a series of crimes targeting sex workers who disappear in the streets at night is rampant. Following these disappearances, a journalist from

French government Lecornu II has made it beyond the one-week goalpost! S é bastien Lecornu´s second attempt as head of government is off to a better start than his first mandate, which ended on October 6, given his voluntary abduction and the consequent dissolution of the government (after 14 hours of effective governance). By accepting a second mandate offered by President Macron on  Friday, Oct. 10, and presenting his cabinet on Sunday, Oct. 12,  Lecornu is the first French

The official government building where the President of the Republic of Chile seats. Photo by Eleonore Dlugosz Donnen, September 2025. This November Chile will hold their presidential elections, a decisive vote for the political future of the country. These significant elections will require all Chileans to vote to elect the successor to current President Gabriel Boric of the Socialist Party. For these presidential elections, the three frontrunners include: Jeannette Jara, Jo

Last June the Dutch demissionary cabinet, then still composed of the BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB), Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie (VVD) and the Nieuw Sociaal Contract (NSC), presented a bill  that would criminalise the ‘glorification of terrorism’ as well as any public support shown towards terrorist organisations. Whilst the bill is still in its draft stage and therefore could be amended, dozens of human rights organisations including Amnesty International  and PAX  hav

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Moldova's accession to the European Union is no longer just a fraternal project but a vital necessity for the Republic, as well as for the 27 member states of the Union. On July 4, 2025, Chisinau hosted an EU-Moldova summit for the first time, following the Council decision of June 26, 2025. Indeed, recognising Moldova's meritorious efforts to become a member of the European Union, The EUopened the first negotiation clus

Laughter, Clinking, Grief, Silence  As the large entrance in the corner of the room opened, the room filled with the clinking of cutlery...

Journalistic work has become increasingly dangerous in recent decades, with bodily harm becoming a normalised condition for war reporters...

Second Take  The Netherlands heads to the polls again, earlier than expected. If you missed the headlines this summer, you should know...

Author's note (June 14): At the time of reporting, the most detailed public timeline of events is provided by Maastricht 4 Palestine...

Welcome, dear readers, to another round of the Sunday Summary. This week, I would like to guide your attention to the worsening situation...

“I weep over my imperfect pages, but if future generations read them, they will be more touched by my weeping than by any perfection I...

A Baby Bonus Americans are being asked an interesting question: “would you have a child if it meant you received $5,000 cash, no strings...

Most books do not get a happily ever after.  That is the realisation I had while working at the Foire du livre de Bruxelles , Belgium’s...

“ Make Maastricht University Great Again” This year, the elections for the University and faculty Councils took place between the...

The Catholic Church, with its 2000 years of history, predates the formation of all European states, making it one of the oldest...

What started as a deadly railway tragedy quickly ballooned into an unprecedented youth protest movement in Europe. For months now, tens...

The trees around the meadow sway lightly in the breeze. Beneath them, the tall grass is brighter than usual, cast in artificial light for...

“I'm impressed… I'm shocked… I have no words”. That’s all I was able to utter when Nazifa told me her story. Afterwards, I blamed myself...

With his first address, last Sunday, the new Pope - Leo XIV - has officially announced the direction of his papacy. These intentions set...

Welcome dear reader, to yet another Sunday summary. This week served up a whirlwind of headlines, from the high-stakes drama of global...

“In my first term, I negotiated the return of the World Cup to America. And now, in my second term, I’ll have the honour to host the...

I like the way people talk about those who are losing their minds. They say I’ve got my head in the clouds, and I imagine I actually do....

The spectre of censorship looms darker than ever. In a concerning sequence of events, public libraries in the US are increasingly...

On May 8th, when the white smoke came out of the chimney, the crowd on St. Peter’s Square in Rome cheered in excitement. With the...

My €19 Redemption Arc During my four-month Korean Media and Popular Culture class, the professor showed us the box office sales in South...