How did free agents cooperate with the VOC and the WIC, through lobbying for private interests within the Companies as well as at the highest political levels?

Researchers from the Institute of Public Administration study the mechanism of lobbying and influencing political parties and the behaviour of these parties to see how solutions are found to problems. This enables them to reach conclusions as to how best to effect changes in political focus and poli…

Sophie Vériter explores a small state’s impact on EU security governance, a hard challenge means against big states in this policy area.

Arco Timmermans, Professor by special appointment Public Affairs, discusses the lobby that is just getting under way and is aimed at the political parties' manifestos for the upcoming election in March 2021.

On 14 and 15 September, the 'Lobbying the Courts' workshop took place in Paris. This was an interdisciplinary workshop in which researchers from different disciplines came together to brainstorm on whether, how, and when interest groups focus on the judicial process and the courts in their lobbying…

Spend an hour on any social media canal (Facebook, Twitter, you name it) and you will find opinions and frustration. Frustration about asylum seeker shelters being built in local villages; frustration about trade negotiations with the US, Ukraine or any other country; and thousands of opinions about…

What is lobbying? How does it work? Starting February 2 Leiden University professors, Jaap de Jong and Arco Timmermans will introduce high school students to the language of lobbying. Digital classes together with a teacher's kit will be available in Dutch from February.

Arco Timmermans, Bijzonder Hoogleraar Public Affairs, sprak deze week in het BNR Lobbypanel over verschillende lobbys, de lobby voor de kortere zomervakantie met een langere kerstvakantie en de lobby voor de stop van het steunen van het openbare vervoer.

Doctors are entering the fray, court cases are being filed and smokers are becoming more of a pariah. From lobby expert to medical biologist: four Leiden researchers give their perspective on smoking, the tobacco industry and smoking policy

Together. If we look back on the corona crisis some time from now, that will have been the keyword in the political communication, says Arco Timmermans. Having allies is imperative, especially in these times.

LERU, the League of European Research Universities, celebrated its fifteenth anniversary on 7 March in Brussels. The network of leading European universities has now grown to include 23 universities.

An article by Bert Fraussen, Adria Albareda, Caelesta Braun, Moritz Muller & Erin Sullivan, published as a three-part blog series.

In the BNR lobby panel, a topic is highlighted every week that lies at the intersection of entrepreneurship and politics. Arco Timmermans, Professor by Special Appointment of Public Affairs, talks about the effect of Brexit on lobbying in the EU.

An article by Bert Fraussen, Adria Albareda, Caelesta Braun, Moritz Muller & Erin Sullivan, published as a three-part blog series.

An article by Bert Fraussen, Adria Albareda, Caelesta Braun, Moritz Muller & Erin Sullivan, published as a three-part blog series.

On 21 March 2018, the Dutch people will vote for local their municipality board. In preparation for these elections, the local lobbying groups are more than ever present to voice their own local interests. Arco Timmermans, Endowed Professor Public Affairs at Leiden University, discusses these groups…

Thanks to fanatical lobbying various groups of citizens and traders had a lot of influence on the initial success of the Dutch colony in Brazil. This is the conclusion of Leiden PhD candidate Joris van den Tol, who defended his thesis on 20 March.

How to represent and assess legitimate interests? On behalf of the Dutch Ministry of Interior and Kingdom Relations, Caelesta Braun and Bert Fraussen developed the framework ‘Afwegingskader Legitieme Belangenvertegenwoordiging’ (Assessment Framework Legitimate Interest Representation). The researchers…

The digital lobby or the virtual advocacy, it seems to work. But in the long run, the quality of the relationships deteriorates, according to public affairs professionals from large companies. They miss the physical lobby, the contact in person. Read the blog of Erik van Venetië, trainer within the…

Several media outlets made mention of an accord on the proposal for a 'verplichte arbeidsongeschiktheidsverzekering' (mandatory occupational disability insurance) for ZZP'ers (self-employed persons), which is part of the 'pensioenakkoord' (Dutch agreement on pension reform).

Arco Timmermans, Professor by special appointment Public Affairs at the Institute Public Administration discussed the proposed fine that is likely to prevent Unilever from leaving the Netherlands.

How interest groups, differences in policy issues and institutional differences between countries affect whether public opinion is translated into policy?

On Thursday 10 November, the Night of the Lobbyist was held. During this public event, organised by Leiden University and the Public Affairs Academy, many insights were shared regarding the different aspects of lobbying and the diversity of the world of the lobby.

Pieter de la Court, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden

The Leiden Risk & Regulation Lab serves as hub for excellent research in regulation and risk governance and acts a platform for engagement with the practice and education of regulation and risk governance. Specializing in risk governance, responsive and effective regulation, reputation and accounta…

How did free agents in the Dutch Republic react to the creation of colonial monopolies (VOC and WIC) by the States-General? This project answers this question by looking at the role individuals played in the construction of an informal global empire parallel to the institutional empire devised by the…

Trail, FGGA's internship platform, will be one year old in November. It is therefore high time to get to know the organisations and companies that use Trail. What do these organisations stand for? What work do interns do? And what do FGGA students have to offer?

The Institute of Public Administration studies the complex problems facing the public sector in the 21st century, from climate policy to the effects of digitalisation. Its researchers analyse, explain and help come up with solutions to the challenges of society today.

The Risk and Regulation Lab is co-directed by:

Je onderdompelen in de wereld van de lobby. Dat kan op donderdag 10 november tijdens de Nacht van de Lobbyist, een publiek event dat de Universiteit Leiden en de Public Affairs Academie voor de 2de keer organiseren. Vijf vragen aan initiatiefnemer Bert Fraussen, universitair docent bij het Instituut…

Governance is a complex puzzle of organisations, people and divergent interests. Academic research in this field furthers our knowledge of the role of public administrators, of different organisational structures, of the people who work at such organisations and of how these organisations implement…

Arco Timmermans, Professor by special appointment Public Affairs at Leiden University, brought sience to practice by designing an “ideal” academic education programme on public affairs, to be embedded and taught at the graduate level.

The European Union Studies minor includes four core courses that provide students with comprehensive knowledge of the European Union’s institutions, policy process, economy, history, and current challenges. In addition to this, students also choose two electives from a broad portfolio of courses that…

Teaching at the Institute of Public Administration focuses on studying public administration in its broadest sense, including semi-government, lobby organisations, civil society and relevant private organisations. Our courses have an interdisciplinary and theoretical-empirical approach, integrating…

Christina Toenshoff has been awarded the Virginia Walsh Dissertation Award for her PhD dissertation on corporate climate lobbying. The Leiden Political Scientist, according to the jury, ‘makes a significant contribution to the study of climate and business politics.’

Each month, Arco Timmermans participates in Dutch radio programme BNR Lobbypanel to discuss a topic at the intersection of politics and entrepreneurship. On 10 December 2019 he told about the discrepancy between the interactions of MPs and the civil service with lobbyists.

Cora van Nieuwenhuizen (VVD) has resigned as Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management with immediate effect. She has decided to take up a position outside politics and will become chair of the lobby organisation for the energy sector, Energie Nederland.

Arco Timmermans Public Affairs

The corona crisis has fuelled the discussion on social interests which has consequences for those looking out for these interests; it should be handled in a more socially responsible manner in which the government has an important role to play.

The emergence of new players on the world market such as India, Brazil, China, Turkey and the Gulf States gives Africans more choice in who they work with and under which terms. At the same time, African multinationals are choosing to work with regional partners and are thus furnishing old political…

Politics is about the authorised allocation of values: who gets what, when and how much? This question is relevant at many different levels, in many different places and in very different ways.

Which key factors contribute to effective land justice pathways for the protection of people’s land rights and prevention of conflict?

How has democracy’s decline affected law making processes, enabling powerful stakeholders’ influence while minimalizing the protection of public interest and the environment?

Study information, Student for a Day

How do you make lobbying and rhetoric both challenging and understandable for high school students? Professor Jaap de Jong found the answer in climate activist Greta Thunberg. Together with his colleague Arco Timmermans, he developed a digital guest lecture on how to present a convincing story.

Research from Dutch news organisation NOS shows that gambling companies, including Holland Casino and the Dutch Lottery, have more influence on the creation of new rules on gambling adverts than addiction experts.

The Dutch Tax Authorities leaked information about an international tax audit to Uber. In addition, they ‘obstructed and delayed’ an investigation by other EU Member States, says the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) based on internal documents from the tech company.