Just one in 10 of of the Dutch population believe business leaders and politicians tell the truth when confronted by a difficult question, according to a new survey out on Monday.

And fewer than one in five people believe business leaders and politicians are capable of solving difficult problems, the survey showed.

The figures make the Netherlands one of the least trusting nations out of 26 surveyed by global PR group Edelman.

Edelman Nederland general manager Annemieke Kievit told the Volkskrant there is now a worldwide leadership crisis.

Companies and politicians have to act ethically and live up to their promises in order to win back trust, Kievit said. But this has been a problem in the Netherlands, she told the paper, referring to changes in mortgage tax relief and the row over health insurance premiums.

According to the Edelman trust index, trust in Dutch companies has gone down from 65% to 61% over the past year, while trust in the media has fallen from 61% to 57%. Trust in non-profit organisations has also gone down to 57%.