Integrity issue knocks down ruling party in latest poll

This week's poll by Maurice de Hond saw the VVD losing another seat, probably due to the integrity issues surrounding Mark Verheijen and Kathalijne de Kruif. Almost half (46 percent) of voters indicated that they are dissatisfied with the way in which the VVD handled the issues surrounding Verheijen, who resigned his place in the Tweede Kamer (lower house of parliament) on Friday. This feeling was strongest among people who indicated that they would be voting for the PvdA (54 percent) and SP (50 percent). The voters are also skeptical about the integrity of parliament members. Almost half of them indicated that more than 25 percent of parliamentarians would not pass an integrity test like the one done on Verheijen. According to the latest poll, the VVD currently stands at 17 seats, one seat less than last weeks poll and a massive 24 seats less than the 41 they got in 2012. The PvdA is up two seats this week, standing at 13 seats, also a gigantic decline from the 38 seats they got in 2012. The PVV lost one seat this week, but is still clearly the largest party at 28 seats (increase of 13 from 2012).