PVV and GL voters often hold opposing views

The opinions of Dutch voters on political issues often vary widely. This applies in particular to Green Left (GL) voters and Party for Freedom (PVV) voters. Over half of GL voters, for example, think that more money should be spent on foreign aid versus only 8 percent of PVV voters.

Opinions electorate on foreign aid and tax relief, 2010

PVV voters most often in favour of tax relief

Among PVV voters, 36 percent are in favour of tax relief, even if this means that social security provisions will be reduced to a lower level. One quarter of People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) voters and nearly one fifth of Dutch Labour Party (PvdA) voters and Socialist Party (SP) voters corroborate this view. Only about 6 percent of Democrats 66 (D66) voters and GL voters advocate tax relief.

Majority GL and D66 voters in favour of raising retirement age

Only one in six PVV voters want to raise the retirement age to 67, whereas the majority of GL and D66 voters are in favour. More than half of GL voters also want wealthy pensioners to contribute to the old age pension (AOW) versus less than 30 percent of PVV voters.

Opinions electorate on ageing-related problems, 2010

Half of electorate CU oppose same-sex marriages

On other issues, the dividing lines between the electorates of the various political parties in the Netherlands follow a different pattern. For example, 80 percent of the Dutch electorate think that child adoption must be possible for homosexual and lesbian couples and 8 percent frown upon same-sex marriages. Among Christian Union (CU) voters, 40 percent are prepared to allow same-sex couples to adopt children and just over half want to ban same-sex marriages. Most D66, GL and VVD voters are at odds with CU voters.

Opinions electorate on same-sex marriages and child adoption for homosexual and lesbian couples, 2010

Hans Schmeets