
Netherlands

The Netherlands, formally known as the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is a high-performing democracy. As shown by the Global State of Democracy Indices (GSoDI), the Netherlands has a strong record in safeguarding Fundamental Rights. Over the last five years, the Netherlands has been high performing across all attributes of the GSoDI, and it has only seen a decline in the Effective Parliament sub-attribute. At the international level, the country has been part of the European Union since 1958 and it is also a founding member of the Group of Ten (G10), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Moreover, the Netherlands is home to various intergovernmental organizations and international courts, which are based in The Hague. With its history of hosting international peace conferences, The Hague is regarded as an international symbol for peace and justice. The presence of international organizations coupled with the Dutch’s high English-language proficiency provides a favourable climate for foreign investment. The country has a highly competitive and developed economy with low rates of unemployment.
Dutch society has a long tradition of social tolerance, with liberal views on issues such as sexual orientation and multiculturalism. In recent years, however, public debates have shifted towards a focus on what is considered to be 'Dutch' culture and values. As a result, harassment and discrimination towards immigrants and Muslims in particular have been rising, as has antisemitism. With an increasingly multi-ethnic population, the subject of immigration and integration has dominated Dutch elections, and political parties have contributed to a normalization of anti-immigration and anti-Islam rhetoric. Groups that are seen as ethnically and religiously different to the majority Dutch population are stigmatized in political and public discourse, which has given rise to contestation among state authorities. Polarization around cultural identity issues and partisanship has increased, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Officials have been reportedly emphasizing the deterrence of, rather than support for, asylum seekers and refugees, and registration procedures have become more complicated. These policies have been a source of controversy. Similarly, the treatment of refugees in Dutch overseas territories has been criticized. The lack of well-developed asylum policies in the Caribbean islands has particularly affected Venezuelan refugees on Aruba and Curaçao.
While the Netherlands has a low risk of democratic breakdown, the degradation of democratic institutions remains a concern. The rise of anti-immigration discourse and the ways in which it bolsters radical right and populist movements can negatively impact the strength of democracy, in particular the GSoDI Fundamental Rights attribute. This is intensified by growing polarization, which should be followed in the years to come. Initial attempts to address polarization, such as the establishment of a national coordinator against racism and discrimination, have been made by the government. Whether further anti-discriminatory legislative provisions are introduced should be monitored. Moreover, in the face of a declining pluralistic media landscape, maintaining a safe public debate without intimidation and aggression towards journalists remains important. Lastly, Absence of Corruption in the Kingdom of the Netherlands is a sub-attribute to watch as the government strengthens its anti-corruption policies, and addresses challenges in disaster relief money and anti-corruption task forces in its overseas territories.
Monthly Updates
August 2022
The Council of Europe has called on the Dutch government to improve its reception of asylum seekers. The main reception center, Ter Apel, situated near the German border, has left more than 700 people seeking asylum in the Netherlands without shelter, privacy, clean water, sanitation and food, leading Médecins sans Frontiers to deploy its first Dutch mission in order to provide basic healthcare. The death of a three-month old baby this month has prompted an investigation by Dutch authorities into the role overcrowding at Ter Apel may have played. The Dutch government has since announced new measures, including commitments to open a large emergency shelter nearby and to allocate EUR 730 million to the establishment of additional reception centers.