Like the new ministers, I too once had to make a promise for a government job. That took place at the old court in Groningen. After the solemn reading of the text, I was quite overwhelmed by the gravity of the moment. I therefore held up two fingers, almost like a Willem-Alexander on an accession to the throne. Before I could say, “I declare and promise,” the chairman remarked, “We’re not here in Boy Scouts, you know.”
A version of this article also appeared in NRC on the morning of January 12, 2022
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