The toxic atmosphere within BASIS, the study association for the International Studies programme, has caused prominent political scientist Cas Mudde to withdraw from a discussion with students. Mudde works at the University of Georgia and is considered an authority on populism in Europe.
He had been due to debate with students about his expertise and the ‘MAGA World Cup’ at the Spui building in The Hague on 12 June. The event, organised by BASIS’s Europe Committee, has now been cancelled.
In posts on LinkedIn and Bluesky, the political scientist writes that he ‘sadly felt compelled’ to cancel the debate.
‘While the specific organisers, the Europe Committee of BASIS, might not be directly involved in this, a member of the board of BASIS has been accused of bullying a member. The organisation has done too little to convince me (and others) that the bullying charge is unfounded.’
No clarification
According to Mudde, the association barely responded to his request for clarification, citing ‘privacy concerns’.
‘It is regrettable that our event has been cancelled’, writes the Europe Committee in a response to Mare. ‘We talked to Dr. Mudde and indicated that we are only one of many committees operating under BASIS and are not involved in the situation with the board. We suggested that he contact them to receive more information.’ Nevertheless, the committee states that it ‘understands and respects’ his decision.
Last month, Mare revealed how seriously relations within BASIS have been disrupted. A member who had been in a relationship with the treasurer shortly before the escalation was bullied, intimidated, excluded and falsely accused by him and others of, among other things, threats, violence and even arson.
She lodged a complaint with the ombudsperson, who launched an investigation. ‘This character assassination has caused lasting harm’, the victim stated.
No disciplinary action
In 2024, another female member had been a victim of the same treasurer’s behaviour. They, too, had been in a relationship shortly before the situation escalated. Following the break-up, she was socially isolated within the association and falsely accused of misconduct and fraud, as stated in the ombudsperson’s report. This caused her considerable reputational damage.
The treasurer declined to comment in Mare and hardly spoke about the matter during a General Meeting of Members. Recently, the Humanities Faculty Board announced that it would not be taking any disciplinary action against him or the rest of the board. ‘You can dismiss the board’, said Dean Henk te Velde, ‘but what happens then?’
Mudde writes on LinkedIn that it is a shame the debate will not take place, ‘as it was one of my only soccer-related events in Europe, and people who know me, know how much I prefer talking soccer over populism’. He writes that he is considering organising the event independently at a different venue. He did not wish to further explain his decision to Mare.
On Monday evening, his post had been liked 90 times and several people had offered an alternative venue for the debate. An attorney responds: ‘I’m proud to have a mentor who stands up to bullying.’