The Dutch Minister of Justice has announced plans that would make the carrying of an ID compulsory for everyone over the age of 12. Anyone who fails to produce a valid ID on demand is liable to be fined up to 2,250 euro or be jailed for a maximum of 2 months. Moreover, it's not just the police who'll be able to demand an ID under the threat of fines and incarceration, but other civil servants involved in checking compliance with government regulations will be able to do so too. For a supposedly "liberal" nation, such intrusions of the state into one's personal liberty are remarkably popular in this country.

It's bad enough that the police would be granted this power given the sad state of law enforcement in the Netherlands. But by giving every meddling two-bit bureaucrat the same powers is heaping madness upon insanity. These measures come in response to increasing worries about crime, but it's really just a proposal for creating the impression that something is being done, rather than truly tackling crime. But the deleterious effect on civil liberties will be felt nonetheless. Criminals will hardly be inconvenienced, while it'll be the ordinary citizens who'll be on the receiving end of this ID scheme. If crime in New York can be reduced without compulsory ID, then sure placid old Holland can do it as well, one would think. Why should the police and petty bureaucrats get this power, when the auhtorities are capitulating to criminals and the police will not deign to go after burglars?

Since we've got elections coming up, I've tried to find what the major parties think of this. The VVD, the party that calls itself Liberal (in the classical sense) comes out in favor. The reasoning is a bit contorted, because they say if the police can search you, they should also be able to ask you for an ID. But the thought that the searches might raise serious civil liberty concerns does not cross their collective minds. The PvdA (Labor) Party waffles on the issue, asking whether compulsory IDs will increase safety without answering the question. Instead, they go on the tried-and-failed road of spending more money on prevention. The Christian Democrats of the CDA are in favor of this measure. Only the eco-luddites of the Green Left party seem to opposed to it.

Not exactly inspiring, or indeed an encouragement to go voting in January.