Survey: most Dutch back lawsuits against the State when it fails to follow its own law

Most Dutch citizens back lawsuits against the State when the government fails to follow its own laws, a new Ipsos I&O survey shows.

Commissioned by Pels Rijcken, the law firm that represents the State, the poll found 45 percent of respondents support such cases in general, while 12 percent oppose them and one-third are neutral, according to De Telegraaf. Younger and higher-educated people are most supportive.

The survey highlights strong trust in justice institutions compared to the government. Police scored 80 percent, judges 76 percent, prosecutors 66 percent, and lawyers 63 percent, while government earned just 38 percent.

Support for the government rises with specific examples: 55 percent back an environmental group suing over missed climate goals, and 67 percent support a farmers’ group challenging government rules.

Respondents widely recognize key rule-of-law principles, such as “the government must comply with the law” and “everyone has the right to a lawyer.” Yet 28 percent wrongly believe judges can be dismissed by the Tweede Kamer, and 10 percent doubt judicial independence.