Yesterday a survey showed that a very low percentage of the Dutch population still has confidence in the government. This does not come as a surprise, after a whole series of failures and scandals, a shamelessly lying prime minister and recently the disastrous evacuation of Kabul which led to the loss of human lives. The foreign secretary had the decency to step down after some hesitation, that was the only positive point, in this tragedy. There is, six months after the elections, not yet a new cabinet because of the power games played by the parties involved. Democracy seems to be faltering at the moment.
So it would be interesting to take a look at what is going on in the chart of The Netherlands. As usual we will take the chart of the Great Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter immediately preceding Dutch independence as our mundane radix (4 September 1563, 18:15:30, Amsterdam, Asc 28.55 Aquarius, chart not shown here). As the Dutch “birthday” falls on 4 September, the country just has a new solar return and it would be a good idea to take a look at it, click on the download link below to view it.
Last year’s solar return did not look very nice but this one looks even sadder. Immediately striking the eye is the South Node on the Ascendant, the South Node always requires a painful sacrifice, otherwise things get stuck and there you can see the value of astrology. Near the ascendant death star Antares is found, the mighty martial Heart of the Scorpion ending cycles, not a nice combination and again a sign something has to be given up. The MC of the government is of course very important and it is emphasized by Mercury conjuncting it, Mercury is Lord 7 of cooperation and partnership.
There will be a lot of pressure on this point as fighter planet Mars is placed on the IC by antiscion in opposition with Lord 7. Mars is also conjunct the part of the Sun, the solar essence and the Sun is power. Venus rules the tenth house and it seems to be strong in its own sign and in the tenth house, but it is also an antiscion causing problems here. The Sun of power is in antiscial opposition with Lord 10 and also in mutual negative reception with it. So it does not look very relaxed this year. Next week we will take a look at the progressions as solar returns always work out in the framework of the progressions.