THE HAGUE – Confidence in the Dutch government has plummeted in the past eighteen months from 70 percent in April 2020 to 30 percent now, Erasmus University in Rotterdam reported based on research. The makeup of the Netherlands was characterized by a “low-trust society” in September 2021.

According to the researchers, distrust of the government is an important motive for unvaccinated people not to get vaccinated against Covid-19. They also note that trust between people has taken a knock. “People mainly trust family and friends and someone with whom they maintain a personal relationship, such as the family doctor,” the researchers said.

Trust in local government has also declined, but less than in national politics, according to Erasmus. The same also applies to health authorities such as the RIVM and the GGD.

“In addition, there is a correlation between the use of social media as a primary source of information and a low level of trust in the government, and a low willingness to vaccinate.

Erasmus conducted the research in collaboration with a number of universities and the municipalities of Rotterdam, Amsterdam and The Hague. A total of 22,000 people across the country participated in the representative study.