Survey: 59% of Dutch believe country is going in wrong direction
A majority of Dutch citizens feel frustrated and powerless over the country’s politics, according to a new survey by the Social and Cultural Planning Office (Sociaal en Cultureel Planbureau, SCP). Fifty-nine percent of respondents believe the country is heading in the wrong direction and say politicians are failing to offer solutions.
The survey was conducted after the government fell in June, when the PVV left the coalition, and after Nieuw Sociaal Contract (NSC) ministers resigned at the end of August. The survey found that 60 percent of respondents give political The Hague a failing grade.
Criticism centers on perceived infighting and stagnation. One respondent gave the government a 1, saying, “Bunch of bunglers. Take no responsibility.” Another said, “I find it a mess right now, especially since NSC also stepped down.”
SCP researchers note that political trust has been low since 2021, with many citizens believing pressing issues, such as the housing shortage, remain unresolved. Trust had also been low twenty years ago.
Josje den Ridder, an SCP researcher, said, “People feel they can do little about the negative effects of domestic and foreign developments. In their view, the government could address these problems but either does not or acts incorrectly. The result is that some people withdraw and stop voting.”
The survey also highlighted concerns over societal polarization related to immigration and climate issues. “People believe these issues cause divisions and rude behavior toward each other,” Den Ridder said. “Some find this so unpleasant that they avoid conversations with people who think differently. This is a risk for democracy.”
