THE HAGUE - Netherlands residents’ confidence in Dutch politics has never been as low as it is now, Ipsos found in a study commissioned by NOS for Prinsjesdag. Trust in the Rutte IV Cabinet and Prime Minister Mark Rutte himself is also reaching new lows.
A year ago, 61 percent of Netherlands residents had little to no confidence in Dutch politics. That increased to 67 percent this year. Lack of trust in the Cabinet increased from 63 percent last year to 71 percent now. And 67 percent of Netherlands residents have no confidence in Rutte as Prime Minister, compared to 56 percent last year. In September, two-thirds of 30,000 EenVandaag respondents said it was time for new elections.
The Rutte IV Cabinet received a failing score of 4.2, an entire point lower than the 5.2 Netherlands residents gave it around the municipal elections in March. Since the Cabinet took office in January, Rutte’s fourth team of Ministers and State Secretaries has never gotten a “sufficient” score.
The Cabinet still has majority support only among people who voted for the VVD (69 percent) and D66 (55 percent). The supporters of the other two coalition parties, CDA and ChristenUnie, are much more pessimistic. Sixty percent of CDA voters and 62 percent of CU supporters have little to no trust in the Cabinet. Among the opposition parties, distrust in the Cabinet ranges from 71 percent of GroenLinks voters to 96 percent of BBB voters.
According to the Ipsos researchers, the new low for confidence in politics has to do with new crises emerging while old problems have still not been solved. A massive 77 percent of Netherlands residents think the country is going in the wrong direction.
When asked why they don’t have confidence in politicians, 64 percent cited the energy crisis, 59 percent the housing market, 58 percent immigration and asylum, 56 percent inflation, and 55 percent healthcare.
Those are also the things the Cabinet should focus on, according to voters. Politicians should pay less attention to the freedom of religion, development cooperation, and nitrogen problems, they believe.
