Dutch Justice Minister Hirsch Ballin wanted to discourage the use of the word "allochtoon" and "autochtoon". These words are used by the Dutch to describe people who are foreign. Especially when they are non-western foreigners.
The minister thought these words cause artificial divisions.
The minister's plan was shot down by the coalition parties:
"Dijsselbloem (PvdA) talks of a "sympathetic plea" that runs aground on obstinate reality. "We proposed this in 2005 already. The government at the time dismissed it. It would be nice to stop talking about 'allochtonen' and 'autochtonen,' but those terms are so assimilated in society. You cannot change that with language police or a new law."
That was the friendliest dismissal of the plan.
Flickers of reality are allowed in the immigration debate in The Netherlands.
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