Almost two-thirds of the Dutch want the government to focus more on domestic rather than international problems, according to a new report from the government’s socio-cultural policy unit SCP.

The research into public attitudes is carried out every three months and shows a continuing shift towards domestic concerns.
In 2007, five of the top 10 issues considered important by respondents related to abroad. In the new survey, there are just two – war and terrorism – news agency ANP says in its coverage of the report.
And spending on defence and development aid continue to lead the list of areas where people think the government can reduce spending.
The report also shows, nearly six in 10 people are still pessimistic about the future of the Netherlands, although confidence has been growing steadily.