After 14 years as Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte stepped down, formally transferred power, and then calmly departed on his bicycle. At first glance, the image feels almost symbolic. A leader who spent more than a decade guiding a nation through elections, economic challenges, and international crises leaving not in a convoy, but on two wheels like any ordinary citizen. That moment reflected something deeply rooted in Dutch culture — practicality, modesty, and the normalcy of cycling in everyday life. In the Netherlands, bicycles are not just recreation. They are a central part of daily transport, used by students, professionals, and public officials alike. Seeing a national leader ride one is unusual to many outside the country, but far less surprising within it. Leadership transitions themselves are significant moments. They represent continuity of institutions over individuals — the idea that power is held temporarily, then passed on peacefully through democratic proce...