Trend Creeping democratic erosion in the Netherlands

Summary

The report holds that liberal democracy is vulnerable in the Netherlands as well. Because the democratic system is open, it can be undermined from outside and hollowed out from within, and a gradual decline is under way. The Netherlands still scores highly on international democracy indices, but signs of creeping democratic erosion are visible here too. There is no acute crisis or collapse of democracy, yet institutions, democratic norms and countervailing powers appear to be weakening step by step, as regulators, the courts, the media and independent advisory bodies face political pressure, weak legal anchoring or underfunding. The report warns that declining trust in politics and government can lead to lower turnout, a fragmented public sphere and more aggression in public spaces such as demonstrations.