Wait, tax hikes? To what? In a country with a 27% VAT the frogs sure did have to boil for awhile to get a conservative. Come to think of it, they got any extra politicians? Probably do better than Ryan and McConnell.
I loved seeing that country. But gas worked out to about $6/ gal in an oil rich nation and a hot dog and coke with the gas would set you back $8. That social democracy welfare state works for three reasons. Small population (less than my state), relatively homogeneous population, and most of all vast North Sea oil wealth underwriting it all.