It is not a war, but it is certainly not peace either. The Netherlands finds itself in the so-called grey zone: the intermediate area between war and peace. Reports from the intelligence and security services, among others, indicate that the threat of hybrid activities is increasing. These include cyberattacks, the deployment of drones, and attempts to sabotage vital infrastructure. Covert influence is also taking place through the targeted dissemination of disinformation. Hybrid threats are varied and changeable and can seriously disrupt Dutch society. Often, these operations remain below the threshold of a military conflict, but they can just as easily herald or flank a military confrontation. The fact is that the security situation of both the Netherlands and Europe has deteriorated significantly in a relatively short time span.
Image: © WRR
Hybrid and military threats necessitate the Dutch government to invest in prepared and strong armed forces and a resilient society. To this end, steps are being taken such as the billions reserved for defense and the revision of various legal frameworks, such as the State of Emergency Act (Staatsnoodrecht) and the Intelligence and Security Services Act (Wet op de inlichtingen- en veiligheidsdiensten). A question that so far has received only limited attention is what the implications are for democracy and the constitutional state. Investments in military preparedness and societal resilience are costly, and not only in financial terms. They may have consequences for the way in which fundamental rights are weighed against one another and how checks and balances are organized. Moreover, a resilient society requires engaged citizens. In order to be effective, societal support is a key necessity for government policy, but this is far from certain when such policy simultaneously demands major sacrifices from people.
In this new project, the WRR explores the implications of military and hybrid threats for democracy and the constitutional state. The project group explores the scope and impact of hybrid threats and operations in the Netherlands. Dutch policy measures are compared to the policy repertoire employed in other European countries. Specific attention is paid to the implications for fundamental rights, checks and balances, and democratic legitimacy. Can a liberal democracy succesfully be defended and protected, without simultaneously undermining it?