Rumours have it that Dutch queen Beatrix’ abdication is imminent and her son Willem-Alexander, who turned 42 this Monday, is ready to take over. Since the constitution of 1848 limited the power of the king, there have been no substantial changes in the role of the monarchy in the Netherlands. Beatrix – and soon her son -  chairs the most powerful advisory body to the government, appoints the formateur for a new coalition government after general elections and discusses national politics with the prime minister on a weekly basis.

Over the past years Willem-Alexander has been steadily groomed for his job as monarch. He has made it perfectly clear that he is not interested in holding a purely symbolic office, like the king of Sweden does. The Swedish king, Carl XVI Gustaf, was ripped of almost all formal powers and given a ceremonial role in 1974. There seems to be no debate about the role of the head of state in the Netherlands, even though a majority of parliamentarians belong to political parties that have openly expressed their preference for a symbolic king or queen only, or even a complete abolishment of the monarchy.

What do you think the future of the Dutch constitutional monarchy is? What will suit the Dutch democracy best? A powerful head of state or, a symbolic king or an end to the royal family? And what is the most realistic scenario for Willem-Alexander?

Europe has one currency, a central bank, a parliament and a court. As soon as the Lisbon Treaty comes into effect it will have an elected president and a foreign minister. Yet, when it comes to getting information about Europe there is not a single transnational medium that Europeans can turn to.

In his article on NRC International European editor Marc Leijendekker writes about a lack of Europe-wide media and public debate. The only publications that are read all over the continent are American (International Herald Tribune) or British (The Economist, Financial Times).

Sociologist Abram de Swaan calls this the “European vacuum”. There is no European marketplace of ideas, he says, no cross-border discussion, he says about the many challenges that Europe faces and that are beyond the reach of the nation states: migration, climate change, energy policy and international relations, to name a few.

Many initiatives to get the ‘European point’ across and bring Europeans of different cultures and languages together have sprung up in recent years, but with little success.

What do you think: can the European vacuum be filled? What would make a website draw the attention of Europeans across the union and drive a transnational debate? Or are language and national focus too big a hurdle to take?