The current queen of the Netherlands is Queen Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti. She is an Argentine economist who married King Willem-Alexander in 2002. Her background is controversial due to her family's history of ties to the former military dictatorship that ruled Argentina from 1976 to 1983.
Queen Máxima's popularity has declined in recent years due to a number of factors, including her perceived distance from the Dutch people. In a 2007 interview she said "de Nederlandse identiteit bestaat niet" or, "the Dutch identity doesn't exist", a remark that caused uproar in the country at the time.
Political Neutrality
As the head of state, the queen of the Netherlands is expected to remain neutral and above politics. However, she has been criticized for her involvement in various political activities and initiatives, which some argue violate the constitutional principle of the monarch's political neutrality.
Inclusive Finance
As United Nations Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development, Queen Máxima has been lobbying for years in the Netherlands and abroad to increase access to "inclusive finance" and secure digital financial services.
World Economic Forum 2024
At the 2024 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Queen Máxima participated in a session titled "Comparing Notes on Financial Inclusion." The event provided a platform for "global leaders" to engage in discussions concerning financial accessibility for individuals and businesses worldwide.
During the session Máxima tells about her job and efforts to implement Digital ID's around the world. In broken English she articulates her views on financial inclusion:
In order to create an account you need to have an ID. And I have to say, when I started this job there were actually very little countries in Africa or Latin America that had one ubiquitous type of ID, and certainly that it was digital, and certain that was bio-metric.
Digital ID With Vaccination Status
She specifically notes that this would not only encompass financial services but also extend into the realms of health and education.
And we really worked with all our partners ... to grow this, and the interesting part of it... it is very necessary for financial service, but not only... It is also good for school involvement. It is also good for health, to know if people actually got a vaccination or not. Its good to get your subsidies from the government. So this does not only affect financial services, it's a very important issue.
One would expect an advocate for inclusivity to prioritize personal liberty and respect for individual choices. By endorsing a system that could potentially discriminate against those who choose not to be vaccinated, the ambassador's actions seem to contradict the principles she claims to champion.
Culture of Surveillance
As world leaders openly discuss the implementation of digital IDs with vaccination status, it is important to consider the potential implications of this technology. While the idea of digital IDs with vaccination status was once considered a conspiracy theory, it is now being discussed openly and seriously by world leaders.
The implementation of Digital IDs with vaccination status can infringe on individual rights and autonomy. Such IDs would provide access to personal health information, which may be sensitive and private. This could create a culture of surveillance, removing individuals' rights to control their personal information and choose when and how it is shared. It would also create a scenario where people are constantly monitored and tracked, infringing on people's fundamental right to privacy.
Requiring Digital IDs with vaccination status could also lead to discrimination against individuals who choose not to get vaccinated, undermining the principle of respect for personal liberty and informed decision-making. This could lead to social polarization and division, ultimately undermining society's stability and confidence in government policy.
People have the right to make fundamental personal decisions about their own body and health. Any measures aimed at improving public health must respect this right and ensure that individuals' personal decisions and autonomy are always protected.
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