DutchNews.nl - 'Election: manifestos largely ignore foreign policy, self-interest dominates'

Most political party manifestos for the September general election have little to say about foreign policy and give low priority to international affairs, according to researchers at the independent Clingendael institute.

Their findings and the results of an opinion poll on public attitudes to foreign policy are contained in a new publication Rijk achter de dijken published by the international affairs institute on Tuesday.

‘Politicians in general have little understanding of the Netherlands' place in the world in the 21st century,’ Clingendael director Ko Colijn said in an editorial to accompany the book. ‘We are becoming increasingly inward-looking.’

‘The tone of the debate is being set by ill-considered cuts in defence and aid spending and using foreign policy to our own advantage,’ Colijn continued. ‘Security and wealth are neither free nor guaranteed behind the dykes.’

The opinion poll, carried out by Maurice de Hond, shows just one in nine Dutch people trust politicians to properly represent Dutch interests in Brussels. Almost half of the 1,500 people polled think the eurozone crisis is the biggest international threat of the day. Just 8% blame terrorism.

The survey reinforces the view that ‘standing up for Dutch economic interests’ is the most important aspect of foreign policy. More than half the 1,500 people polled also back cutting development aid and spending on the EU.

The poll also shows 77% of voters think more cuts in defence spending, in particular abandoning plans to buy the JSF fighter jet, are the best way for the government to save money.

Earlier this week it emerged the first Dutch JSF is undergoing test flights in the US. The cabinet has put off making a final decision on whether or not to press ahead with the purchase and is leaving the issue up to the next government.

The outgoing government is already cutting spending on defence by €4bn and reducing the size of the armed forces by 12,000.

Readers' Comments

well, that NL is inward-looking is hardly news anymomre. It's been inward looking for years.

By the_expat | 21 August 2012 5:10 PM

Well folks... who is the major threat to NL, the corporate elite in cahoots with our guv...or the fantasy/cold-war terrorists??

The only reason for a powerful military in NL, is to send it abroad to aid the US with their global empire schemes because.. they can no longer pay THEIR debt back and need to continue raping other countries for global dominance..

No one is going to attack NL, and if so, just the banksters again. Manifestos are false promises for votes, please wake up!!

If you think you're going to profit by aiding the US, you're as stupid as a patatje oorlog!!

I vote for peace not ignorance.

By The visitor | 21 August 2012 11:15 PM

He is right. NL indeed are increasingly inward looking. If you ask me, this is a reflection to the shift in balance of powers in the world. When something scary is happening, people tend to not want to look and try to imagine the scary thing is not happining at all. "Wat je niet ziet, bestaat niet."

It would be wiser to set aside all fears and take an honest look at what is happening outside, acknowledge it, and deal with it in a sensible and non crampy way.

By Martin | 22 August 2012 12:53 AM

The reason we are increasingly inward looking, is because we have no other choice to survive.

We have some of the highest taxes, we have one of the highest retirement ages, etcetera. And yet, things continue to get WORSE. If we had the same conditions as Greece, we'd surely be TWICE AS POOR.

We're not in a position to think about others. We first need to improve our own situation.

By Someone | 23 August 2012 5:33 PM

Well perhaps the Dutch could return to their pre1940 money saving policy of unarmed neutrality. After all no one would be so morally bankrupt as to attack a defenceless nation, would they?

By School Bully's Supporter | 29 August 2012 11:03 PM