Outgoing cabinet’s popularity leaps, finance minister most respected

The outgoing government now enjoys the confidence of 34% of voters, its highest rating since the 42% it scored when taking office in 2012, according to a poll for television show EenVandaag.

At its low point, confidence in the Labour-Liberal coalition had fallen to just 14%.

Now, almost two-thirds of voters think the economy is well placed for the future, but only a third say that is down to government policy. And a substantial minority say they are still worse off than when the cabinet came to power.

Around half of voters say they are happy with the performance of prime minister Mark Rutte, who is set to be PM in the new government when it has been finalised. Two Labour ministers – Bert Koenders at the foreign ministry and Jeroen Dijsselbloem at finance – are more popular. Dijsselbloem himself has a 77% rating.

Education minister Jet Bussemaker, justice minister (and former housing minister) Stef Blok and home affairs minister Ronald Plasterk are at the bottom of the list.

The EenVandaag poll also shows that voters want the new cabinet to make serious work of the environment and climate change, alongside the health service, which tops the list, and education.

Immigration and integration don’t feature on the top 10 list of concerns, terrorism is an issue for 28% and the Dutch identity is a priority for just one in five people.

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