Confidence in the House of Representatives dropped sharply last year

Last year, the Dutch gained a little more confidence in institutions such as judges, the police, the EU and the press, but confidence in the House of Representatives has fallen sharply after a peak in 2020. This is evident from the study Social cohesion and well-being of the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), published on Thursday.

The confidence of residents of the Netherlands aged 15 and older in the House of Representatives rose to 53 percent in corona year 2020, but fell back to 42 percent last year. Statistics Netherlands did not ask about the causes of this decline in confidence, but based on previous polls by, among others, Ipsos and the AToday opinion panel It appears that the House of Representatives is held by many people partly responsible for the slow formation and the faltering corona policy. The benefits scandal and the stalled housing market also undermine confidence in politicians.

In comparison with the previous decade, confidence in the House of Representatives is even higher, because in the period between 2012 and 2016 the average was about 35 percent.

Judges and police officers

At 79 percent, trust in judges and the police is greatest of all institutions, and Statistics Netherlands has noted a slight increase in both. Confidence in the European Union also rose from 48 percent to 53 percent last year, and that in the press from 39 percent to 46 percent. During the pandemic, trust in other people also increased slightly, according to CBS.