1 Focus on the issue of trust For citizens in the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe, these are uncertain times and trust is in many ways a key issue. The credit crisis is forcing us all to face the fact that the value of money depends purely on trust.(2 ) Banks stand or fall with the trust placed in them and these days this is equally true of countries. The traditional trust-based relationship between the government and parliament under the Dutch state system is viewed in a different light when the Netherlands is governed by a minority coalition. Fluctuations in trust in monetary and political systems create serious risks over which individual citizens have no real influence. But is the Dutch public’s trust in the country’s political and administrative system currently in decline? This is the subject of much debate, since wide variations have been recorded over recent years. According to the Netherlands Institute for Social Research (Sociaal Cultureel Planbureau), trust in the political system has been significantly stronger over the last few years than it was in the 2002–2004 period. It was particularly strong following action to tackle the financial crisis in late 2008, declined during the government crisis of mid-2010, and recovered after a new government took office at the end of that year.(3 ) According to Statistics Netherlands (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek), there has been a general increase in confidence in public institutions and organisations since 2002 and this has been especially marked in the case of the legal system, the political system and the police.(4 ) Dutch citizens seems to attach a high value to trust. Relationships in this country appear to operate on the basis of trust rather than power and authority.(5 ) Moreover, research shows that the vast majority of people in the Netherlands do, in fact, trust each other; a philosophy of distrust is unusual.(6 ) In comparison with many other countries in Europe, the Netherlands is a ‘high-trust’ society.(7 ) However, citizens are currently concerned about the trends in interpersonal relationships: about a growth in intolerance and bigotry, disrespect of norms and values, antisocial behaviour, callous and loutish behaviour, and the ‘me first’ mentality.(8 ) According to the SCP, Dutch citizens see the way people behave towards each other as the most important issue facing the nation. The National Ombudsman agrees that it is a serious issue. By expressing his views on the subject of trust in this annual report, he hopes to contribute to the national debate. Focus on the issue of trust | 4 Pagina 3
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De Nationale ombudsman - Trust in government Lees publicatie 1Home