Civil servants in the Netherlands: from loyal contradiction to just contradiction?

This chapter will start with a brief overview of the Dutch civil service system and some information about the training of civil servants and their appointment. Next, I will go into the reforms that have taken place in the civil service system, during the heydays of New Public Management, in particular the establishment of the Senior Civil Service (Algemene Bestuursdienst, ABD) and the changes to the legal position of civil servants. Finally, I will discuss the recent scandals and how civil servants have become more visible in the eye of the public (and the media, and the politicians), and are under attack by the new cabinet.