Saskia Belleman receives the Machiavelli Prize 2024

On February 19, 2025, the Machiavelli Prize 2024 was awarded to Saskia Belleman, a court reporter for De Telegraaf, at the Nieuwspoort Press Center. The prize is awarded annually for a remarkable achievement in the field of public communication.

Marja Wagenaar, chair of the Machiavelli Foundation, read the jury report and presented the 36th Machiavelli Prize. The jury praised Belleman for her clear and accessible court reporting, which contributes to transparency and public understanding of the judiciary. They also commended her factual and independent journalism, recognizing her as a role model for young journalists. Finally, her efforts to put femicide on the agenda and unite stakeholders both inside and outside Parliament were acknowledged as an important step in addressing this social issue. The full jury report can be found here.

Mark Bovens, emeritus professor of Public Administration (Utrecht University), and Anchrit Wille, professor of Transitions in the Public Sector (Leiden University), delivered the annual Machiavelli Lecture prior to the award ceremony. Their lecture was titled “Diplomas as a Political Divide.” The full text of the lecture can be found here.

It was the 36th time the prize was awarded. Previous winners included Jaap Velema, Johan Remkes, Gerrit Hiemstra, Marion Koopmans and Diederik Gommers, the journalistic collective Bellingcat, She Decides, Mayor Eberhard van der Laan, H.R.H. Princess Máxima, and national football coach Bert van Marwijk.

The Machiavelli Foundation is dedicated to public communication. Since 2010, Public Matters has been the main sponsor of the Machiavelli Foundation.

Missed it? Watch the event here!