There is much in the Netherlands to give hope and confidence for the future, queen Beatrix said on Tuesday in her traditional speech which formally opens the political year.

Entrepreneurs and consumers are positive and there are many other signs of optimism in society, the queen said.
In addition, the country is poised to spend considerable amounts of money on counteracting the effects of the ageing population and on eradicating the shortage of skilled workers in education and healthcare, the queen said.
The cabinet also intends to pay extra attention to increasing tolerance and respect in society, she said.