Dutch government losing public support for Covid-19 policy

Support among the Netherlands population for the government's coronavirus approach is declining, according to a representative survey of 1,077 Dutch by Markteffect for newspaper AD. Just over 40 percent of Dutch said they have no confidence in the government and RIVM's policy, compared to 15 percent in March.

The criticism on the government's policy is twofold. A growing group of people think that the government and public health institute RIVM are not doing enough to combat the coronavirus crisis. 43 percent, compared to 22 percent in March. The other growing group, 33 percent of respondents, think the government's policy is too strict. In March, 17 percent of respondents said that. 29 percent of respondents now said that the government measures restrict individual freedoms too much.

People who voted for coalition parties CDA, VVD, D66, and ChristenUnie still have the most trust in the government's coronavirus policy. Within these groups, approximately four out of five people still have confidence in the policy. Support is least among voters for far-right parties PVV and FvD, where about 70 percent don't support the policy. 

Prime Minister Mark Rutte himself is also losing support. In March, 64.9 percent of respondents had a lot of confidence in him. Now that dropped to 45.2 percent. Another 30 percent said they have a bit of confidence in him. Almost 25 percent think Rutte is not the right man to handle this crisis, compared to 14 percent in March. 

In general, support for the Covid-19 policy is above average among employed people, and below average among disabled people and the unemployed. People in the north of the country, where there were relatively few coronavirus infections, have more confidence in the policy than people in the west and south.