Political parties promising a lot, but not solving persistent problems: SCP
The political parties are not making the choices necessary to solve the Netherlands’ persistent problems, the Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP) concluded after studying ten election programs. The parties make many promises about which problems they plan to tackle but don’t specify precisely what they will do to address these issues.
“For example, parties state that staff shortages in healthcare and education deserve a lot of attention but do not attach any consequences to this,” SCP director Karen van Oudehoven told Nieuwsuur. “Only promising nice things is not what voters are waiting for. Citizens are not backward. They want a Cabinet that solves the problems.”
The SCP selected the ten parties based on their standings in the polls. It studied the election programs of BBB, CDA, ChristenUnie, D66, FvD, GroenLinks-PvdA, PvdD, PVV, SP, and VVD. The NSC’s election program was submitted too late.
The planning office looked at the parties’ plans on six themes - social security, equal opportunities, asylum and migration, healthcare, sustainability, and the shortages in the labor market. All parties noted these topics as important, but none took sufficient measures to address them.
“For example, the parties all want to provide good care for everyone, but do not make choices about what care can still be provided in the future and what may no longer be possible,” Van Oudenhoven told Nieuwsuur. If parties do make choices, they often don’t elaborate on the consequences thereof. They also don’t explain the feasibility of their plans.
Van Oudenhoven thinks that the parties are too eager to please all voters, which makes them hesitant to commit to fundamental choices in their election programs. “I think the first tendency of parties is to seduce and tell beautiful stories.” She called that disappointing. “Our previous research showed that citizens are really waiting for the honest story. They would like to know where the Netherlands is going. They want the new Cabinet’s vision.”
The SCP stressed that the political parties must make fundamental choices about tackling the current social challenges. Failing to do so will have consequences for the quality and future sustainability of public facilities like healthcare. And that can affect the well-being of Netherlands residents, inequality in society, mutual solidarity, and the people's trust in the government.
