As the war in Iran is now into its fourth week, concerns are growing that this could pull Europe and in particular the Netherlands, into economic instability. According to a report by the Atlantic Council , Europe’s decision to move away from using Russia’s pipelines for oil following the war on Ukraine in 2022 is now putting pressure on Europe to find other means of refilling their reserves. Even though the war unfolding in Iran might seem distant to students in Maastricht,

Life feels like it’s passing by in a blur— where has time gone? With exam season luring me into a constant schedule of studying, university work had me in a chokehold. It was a practical one week, a project the next and a proposal to write the day after— it had me occupied. So occupied that my unread messages had been piling into one big, giant list. Friends whom I had the time to meet so much last year, suddenly were the very people I only see weeks after. On top of that, th

The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about – Oscar Wilde. Hello! Welcome to our fourth issue of Loosely Talking, where we reflect on our lives between the cobblestones. On March 29, the clocks will leap forward one hour, marking the start of daylight savings aka the best time of the year! As we welcome the season of longer daylight, warmer weather, and more time in the park with friends, we can’t help but feel how sudden this has all come on. It

The results of the 2026 municipal elections in Maastricht reveal a significant change to the city's political landscape. Voters reshuffled the balance of power, paving the way for coalition talks that will determine policy for the next four years. These elections will directly impact daily life in Maastricht, affecting everything from student housing to cultural spaces and urban mobility. Following the ‘Visions for Maastricht’ Editions, it is interesting to examine the outco

Eyes on South Korean Cinema IMDb, still from Lady Vengeance by Park Chan-wook. (2005). 여자가 한을 품으면 서리가 내린다 If a woman harbors han, frost will fall “The concept of han (한) has been invoked as crucial to understanding the Korean character. A supposedly untranslatable term, it denotes a uniquely Korean sense of profound sorrow, regret, resentment, rage and other negative emotions that are all bound up inside an individual as well as the people as a whole. It has been clai

The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about – Oscar Wilde. Hello! Welcome to our third issue of Loosely Talking, where we reflect on our lives between the cobblestones. Yesterday, TEFAF closed its doors. For those who don't know, The European Fine Art Fair is one of the most prestigious art fairs in the world and it happens right here in our beloved Maastricht. Conveniently, or rather inconveniently, it takes place in the MECC: the very same venue

And more on why you should vote on March 18 We, the students of Maastricht, have learned to live and love this city. Even if many of us see it as a stopover on our life paths, a means to our ends, we become the actors who help make this local community shine. Over the months and years we have lived in Maastricht, we have discovered the many challenges this city faces. A majority of us have struggled to find housing, dealt with the overbearing landlord, complained about the l

On Thursday, March 12, the Maastricht Diplomat moderated a Local Elections Debate for the Maastricht municipal council elections. Sponsored by OmniUM and student party NovUM, the debate saw participation from 10 of the 17 parties, with five candidates present being leaders of their lists. They included: Muun Ubbink (#6) Socialist Partij, Floris Soeren (#5) Partij van de Arbeid/Labor Party, Luc Callemijn (#1) GroenLinks, Jules Vaessen (#1) Partij voor de Dieren/Party for th

Vote! Are you a European citizen, and are you registered in the municipality of Maastricht? Then, good news! You can vote in the upcoming local elections on March 18th ! Our local coverage team invited candidates for interviews, and it aims to give keys to students to make their choice, without any editorial endorsement. In this last episode, meet Aurele Boesten, 23-year-old co-lead candidate in the 2nd position on the list of the Party for M:OED (‘Maastricht: Open Eerlijk

Vote! Are you a European citizen, and are you registered in the municipality of Maastricht? Then, good news! You can vote in the upcoming local elections on March 18th! Our local coverage team invited candidates for interviews, and it aims to give keys to students to make their choice, without any editorial endorsement. We are already on our eighth episode! Check out the previous ones on our website. Today, we talk with Jo Smeets, from ‘Maastricht van Nu’. About Jo

Over Jo Maastricht Diplomat (MD): Bent u in Maastricht geboren? Jo Smeets (JS): Ik ben een rasechte ‘sjeng’, ja. MD: Wat betekent het voor u om Maastrichtenaar te zijn? JS: Het woord 'Maastrichtenaar' vind ik al raar. Iedereen die in Maastricht woont, is een Maastrichtenaar. Of je hier nou geboren bent of niet. Ik maak soms wel de grap dat je alleen een ‘sjeng’ bent als je hier geboren bent, maar een Maastrichtenaar is iedereen die hier woont. Ik ben wel trots op mijn stad, n

The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about – Oscar Wilde. Hello! Welcome to our second issue of Loosely Talking, where we reflect on our lives between the cobblestones. In case you haven't noticed, it’s almost mid March. From the third year onward, many “adult” deadlines start approaching, from planning trips for next year to applying for master’s programs and internships. All stress related events that all have one thing in common. By this point

Sculpture by Jean-Baptiste Goy, late 17th century, marble. Cleopatra, dying yet standing. December 2025 found me at the Arab World Institute in Paris, beholding the Mystery of Cleopatra , running from June 2025 to January 2026. The exhibition was quite lengthy, beginning with a series of artifacts related to Egyptian mythology and historical foundations, an enumeration that appeared endless to me. Nonetheless, with the world of Cleopatra open to me, I encountered numerou

Numerous places are not only charted on maps but also serve as geopolitical hotspots in the markets, among them: the Strait of Hormuz. This narrow maritime passage has had a recent, significant influence on multiple economies, following the American and Israeli strikes against Iran and the regional reprisals that ensued. This narrow strip of water is more than just a logistical corridor; it is the artery of global liquid oil consumption. Where is this strait located? Why is

Maastricht kent, net als vele gemeenten, een breed scala aan lokale partijen. Een daarvan is de Senioren(Stads)Partij, met een naam die weinig aan de verbeelding overlaat omtrent haar publiek. Waar de loyaliteiten van deze partij daadwerkelijk liggen, hebben we met Harry Mevissen, gemeenteraadslid voor de SSP, besproken. De SeniorenStadsPartij & U Maastricht Diplomat (MD): Waarom bent u de politiek ingegaan? Harry Mevissen (HM): Lange tijd was ik werkzaam als vrijwilliger b

Vote! Are you a European citizen, and are you registered in the municipality of Maastricht? Then, good news! You can vote in the upcoming local elections on March 18th! Our local coverage team invited candidates for interviews, and it aims to give keys to students to make their choice, without any editorial endorsement. In this episode, learn more about the Senioren(Stads)Partij (Senior(City)Party) with Harry Mevissen. Maastricht, like many other Dutch municipalitie

The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about. – Oscar Wilde. Hello! Welcome to our first issue of Loosely Talking, where we reflect on our lives between the cobblestones. As this is the first edition, an introduction is essential. This column within the Maastricht Diplomat is here to bring more whimsy to the journal and talk about our student lives in relation to our environment. The ‘Loosely Talking’ column is written by Celia Kervyn and Ella Leff

Vote! Are you a European citizen, and are you registered in the municipality of Maastricht? Then, good news! You can vote in the upcoming local elections on March 18th! Our local coverage team invited candidates for interviews, and it aims to give keys to students to make their choice, without any editorial endorsement. We are already on our sixth episode! Check out the previous ones on our website. Today, we discuss the program of the Christian Democrat party (CDA)

LIVE updates ended on 27th of February at 12:57pm 26TH FEBRUARY: FOREIGN AFFAIRS PARLIAMENT On February 26th, for the first Foreign Affairs Parliament session, scheduled from 10:00-12:00, the topic for debate was the amendments proposed to Article 2 and 3. At this time, no new amendments to Article 2 could be proposed. At 10:05, an internal interpreter check was conducted while the session waits for its remaining MEP’s to arrive. Shortly after at 10:10, the chairs declared d

Vote! Are you a European citizen, and are you registered in the municipality of Maastricht? Then, good news! You can vote in the upcoming local elections on March 18th! Our local coverage team invited candidates for interviews, and it aims to give keys to students to make their choice, without any editorial endorsement. In this fifth episode of "Visions for Maastricht", we explore the programme of D66, with Marlou Jenneskens. On this rainy Friday morning, we met Marlou Je