One in five Dutch people want to "overthrow" the system of government: Study

About a third of Dutch people believe "tough action" against the government is justifiable if it repeatedly fails to listen them. About one-fifth of the public believes the government is functioning so poorly that the entire system would best be "overthrown." However, peope would not necessarily resort to violence in either case, said the Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP) in a report on Friday.

There is increasing support for tougher action against the government among the population who have diminished confidence in politics. But it remains unclear what people actually mean by "tough action" and "overthrowing" the system or the government, the organization said. More research is needed to draw a better conclusion, the agency stated.

In any case, almost everyone disapproves of violent demonstrations, such as throwing fireworks or destroying cars. About six percent of Dutch people believe that violence may be used if necessary.

Support for a tougher approach mainly stems from "dissatisfaction with the functioning of politics, the accumulation of societal and social problems in the Netherlands, and the persistent feeling the political world does not listen to people," the SCP report stated.

At the same time, few people said they were willing to take action themselves. About 72 percent said that the chance is small, while 12 percent think the chance is high.

Two-thirds of the Dutch population supports peaceful protests and demonstrations. According to the SCP, that number has remained stable in recent years. Currently, six percent of Dutch people participate in protests.

The government agency, SCP, is sometimes referred to as the Social and Cultural Planning office as a literal translation of its name. The organization conducts research into the social impact of government and political policy.