Political Optimism: Necessity or Naivety? -with Marnix van Rij, former State Secretary of Finances

When the CDA and governments were falling apart, Marnix van Rij was called back to bring calm to the chaos. Most people told him not to do it. He did it anyway. Not because it was easy, but because as he says, “someone has to stay optimistic.”

With the release of his new book ‘Reflections of a Political Optimist’, Van Rij shares his visions on leadership, responsibility, and finances to stay hopeful. Even in his role as Member of the Executive Board at the IMF, his name remains relevant in the Netherlands. However, how many times can one man be called in to save a party – and a country – before optimism runs out?