A proposal to allow anonymous applications for national civil service jobs has been rejected by a large parliamentary majority.

Home affairs minister Guusje ter Horst called for the introduction of anonymous applications at the weekend, but even her own Labour party is against the move.
The rationale is that anonymous applications would make it easier for people from ethnic minorities to get a job.
Eddy van Hijum of the ruling Christian Democrat coalition party told ANP: ‘Surely this country is not going to accept that you have to tippex away your name, ethnic background and skin colour.’ Such a move gave the impression of a solution but would not tackle the problem itself, he said.
Earlier this month a TNS Nipo poll concluded that almost 80% of job-seekers felt that anonymous job applications would boost their chances of finding work.