Trust in Government Drops

The confidence of the Dutch people in their government has decreased. During the formation of this government in the fourth quarter last year, the number of people that had trust in the government was about 10% higher.

The Citizen Perspectives report of the Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP), presented on Friday, shows that only 51 percent of the Dutch people have confidence in the government. Last quarter, when the cabinet formation took place, the political mood improved considerably. Then the confidence in the government increased from 41 percent to 57 percent.

People, especially those who voted for the VVD and the PvdA, were positive about the new government and politics in the 2012 fourth quarter. “It was probably because the new government was making promises different from those of the previous cabinet with the tacit support of the PVV," said the researchers from the SCP. “People are less satisfied now with the government in The Hague, but this is more than after the fall of the previous government.”

The report further indicates that more people find that they have no influence on what the government does. In the first quarter, 61 percent shared that opinion, while in the previous quarter that number was only 57 percent. More Dutch do not think that the government is doing enough “for people like me”. That percentage rose from 49 percent to 52 percent.