Some 70% of the Dutch population is opposed to the government’s plans to take part in a police training mission in Afghanistan, according to an early poll by Maurice de Hond.

Some 25% of people polled support the plan.
The opposition to the new mission, which would take place under EU and Nato auspices, has also had an impact on political party support, the De Hond poll shows.
Opposition
The Labour party’s decision to oppose the plan has boosted its support from 19 to 21 seats in the De Hond poll, the anti-Islam PVV adds one to 28 and the SP one to 19.
The ruling minority coalition of VVD and CDA would both lose one seat.
GroenLinks and D66 have yet to decide their position on the mission and have said they will wait until after the parliamentary debate. But according to the De Hond poll, 40% of D66 voters and 75% of GroenLinks voters are against the idea.
Rival poll
However, a poll by TNS Nipo before the cabinet agreed to back the new mission gives a different picture of party political support.
It puts Labour in second place with 24 seats, the PVV in third with 21 – down three on its general election total – and the VVD up five at 36.
The Christian Democrats are down five at 26 in the TNS Nipo poll.
Provinces
This gives the three-party alliance (coalition plus PVV) 73 seats in the 150 seat parliament.
On March 2, the Netherlands will elect new provincial governments which in turn will determine the make-up of the senate. The alliance does not have a majority in the senate at the moment.
What do you think about the Afghan mission? Take part in our poll