Netflix and chill
The debate was not only about a fireworks ban, but also about the citizens’ council itself. That was the first of its kind in Utrecht. Parties such as the VVD and UtrechtNu! openly doubted the representativeness of the group of 81 people who participated in the deliberations. It was agreed in advance that one hundred people would participate. The deliberation started with 87 participants, and six more were dropped during the process.
The contribution of Dirk-Jan van Vliet (D66) was striking. He praised the phenomenon of citizen council, harking back to the ancient Greeks, where it was the ultimate form of freedom to participate in the democratic process. According to Van Vliet, in today’s time, the highest possible form of freedom is to ‘Netflix and chill on the couch’. In youth language, this refers to having sex.
UtrechtNow! particularly criticized the composition of the citizens’ council group. Although all districts were represented, the question is whether the representatives of that district were an accurate reflection of the district itself.