More support for Covid policy as relaxations loom

With Health Minister Ernst Kuipers expected to announce relaxation of the coronavirus measures tonight, support for the government's approach to the pandemic is rising. 51 percent of Netherlands residents support the government's policy, compared to 45 percent a month ago, I&O Research found in a survey of over 2,300 adult Netherlands residents for broadcaster NOS.

I&O Research has surveyed Netherlands residents about the coronavirus approach since March 2020. When the pandemic just hit the Netherlands, support for the policy was above 90 percent. As the crisis drew on, it gradually declined to 40 percent in December last year. Last month it rose again to 45 percent, and now it rose to 51 percent. 

The survey was conducted between 11 and 14 February, when it was already clear that the Cabinet wanted to scrap many restrictions. 85 percent of respondents want relaxation - 47 percent favor scrapping some measures, 38 percent want to scrap all measures. Only 9 percent want to maintain the current measures, and 3 percent think there should be more restrictions.

Strikingly, the longing for more freedom can be seen in all age groups and among supporters of all political parties. People who support far-right parties PVV and FvD more often want to scrap all measures, while people who vote for left-wing parties PvdA and GroenLinks and the coalition parties VVD, D66, CDA, and ChristenUnie are more likely to want to relax measures in steps. 

When asked about individual measures, 62 percent of respondents said the catering and cultural sectors should be allowed to stay open later than 10:00 p.m. According to respondents, getting tested and staying at home when you have symptoms is the measure that the government should scrap last. Only 18 percent of people want it abolished now.