Left-leaning parties and trade unions in the Netherlands have achieved a victory with the suspension of planned cuts to social security. Much of this success is attributed to Hans Spekman, the relatively new chairman of the FNV (Federatie Nederlandse Vakbonden). The podcast “De Dag” explores what makes Spekman an effective union leader, featuring insights from former minister and PvdA chair Lilianne Ploumen, who knows him from their time together in the party. The show also questions whether this outcome represents a “Spekman effect,” influencing political and economic decisions. The podcast is available on NPO Luister and other podcast apps. Listeners can react by emailing dedag@nos.nl.