Arjen Lubach was awarded a real Issue Oeuvre award during the annual Issue Congress. It was the first time this was awarded and not without reason; Arjen has been proving for a number of years that he has been able to create broad social and political attention for social issues time and time again.
Through its own program and through spin-offs that received attention all over the world. Who doesn't remember the hilarious video - in response to Donald Trump's America First - that has now been viewed more than 27 million times.
The number of issues that have come to Arjen Lubach's attention is enormous. Well-known examples are the items about TTIP (chlorine chickens), which suddenly made everyone know what this trade agreement was about, the drag law, which gave the initiators sufficient support for their referendum request, and the item about Nuclear Energy, which made nuclear energy a possible solution for the energy issue. But also other issues that occurred last year, such as rush hour tax, the Piet discussion, public broadcasting, winter time, bankrupt hospitals, Groningen, ecstasy, the housing market, winter clothing for soldiers, the conflict of interest in the Senate, the financing of education, etc. The list is endless and an Issue Oeuvre Award is more than deserved.
Creating issues is tailor-made for Lubach. And during his speech of thanks, he pointed out to those present that we are fortunate that we can award such an award in the Netherlands (and that he was able to receive it). Fortunately, our democracy still functions in such a way that he, as a jester, can and does hold up a mirror to us every Sunday. In the Netherlands we are allowed to create issues and let's keep it that way.
