Majority of Dutch want a new Prime Minister: poll

By Janene Pieters on August 29, 2016 - 08:05
Rutte Paris Attacks presser
Prime Minister Mark Rutte speaking to reporters after an emergency cabinet meeting on the Paris Attacks. Nov. 14, 2015 (photo: Rijksoverheid). (Prime Minister Mark Rutte speaking to reporters after an emergency cabinet meeting on the Paris Attacks. Nov. 14, 2015 (photo: Rijksoverheid))

A massive 60 percent of Dutch voters think it is time for a new Prime Minister, according to the weekly poll by Maurice de Hond. Only 31 percent think Mark Rutte should be Prime Minister again following the elections in March next year.

As can be expected, Rutte has the most support from VVD voters, with 97 percent thinking he should be prime Minster again. A far away second place comes from the CDA and D66, with 41 percent of each party's voters supporting Rutte for another term.

The SP holds the most voters who think Rutte should not get another term, with 97 percent. Closely followed by 86 percent of PVV voters and 71 percent of GroenLinks and 50Plus voters.

For the first time in weeks, there's also been some movement in the polls. The SP and PVV both lost two virtual parliamentary seats. The VVD and D66 each got one of these seats and 50Plus got two.

With the next elections coming up in March 2017, political parties in the Netherlands are releasing their election campaign programs. 50Plus, PVV and D66 did so last week. Compared to the parliamentary seats received in the 2012 elections, 50Plus is up one seat and now has three seats in the polls, the PVV is up 18 seats and is currently the largest party with 33 seats in the polls and the D66 is up two seats, currently at 14 virtual seats.

Tags: