More Netherlands residents worry about war

Netherlands residents are increasingly worried about war, the National Committee 4 and 5 May reported after their annual survey ahead of Remembrance Day. 56 percent of Netherlands residents are worried about war, compared to 38 percent last year. And nearly 70 percent say that war and attacks impact their lives. “The ongoing war in Ukraine and the war in Gaza likely contribute to this experience,” the committee said.

“Against that background, support for commemoration and celebration remains high,” the Committee said. The Netherlands will Commemorate the victims of WWII and other wars with Dutch involvement on May 4, and celebrate the Netherlands’ liberation from Nazi Germany on May 5. According to the Committee, 83 percent of Netherlands residents consider Remembrance Day important, and 75 percent feel the same about Liberation Day.

The increased fear of war is also impacting Netherlands residents’ sense of freedom. Almost 66 percent said that freedom is becoming less self-evident. And the share of people who said their sense of freedom has increased over the past five years dropped from 20 percent in 2023 to 13 percent this year.

For the first time, the Committee also surveyed Netherlands residence about education on the Second World War. Almost 70 percent of respondents agreed that “basic knowledge about the Holocaust and the Second World War is necessary to commemorate,” the Committee said. “A large majority also considers it very important that education about citizenship, the rule of law, and democracy is offered.”

The Committee surveyed over 1,100 people in February 2024. “They are a representative reflection of the Dutch population aged 16 and older,” the Committee said.