Most political party manifestos for the September general election have little to say about foreign policy and give low priority to international affairs, according to researchers at the independent Clingendael institute.

Their findings and the results of an opinion poll on public attitudes to foreign policy are contained in a new publication Rijk achter de dijken published by the international affairs institute on Tuesday.
‘Politicians in general have little understanding of the Netherlands’ place in the world in the 21st century,’ Clingendael director Ko Colijn said in an editorial to accompany the book. ‘We are becoming increasingly inward-looking.’
‘The tone of the debate is being set by ill-considered cuts in defence and aid spending and using foreign policy to our own advantage,’ Colijn continued. ‘Security and wealth are neither free nor guaranteed behind the dykes.’
Brussels
The opinion poll, carried out by Maurice de Hond, shows just one in nine Dutch people trust politicians to properly represent Dutch interests in Brussels. Almost half of the 1,500 people polled think the eurozone crisis is the biggest international threat of the day. Just 8% blame terrorism.
The survey reinforces the view that ‘standing up for Dutch economic interests’ is the most important aspect of foreign policy. More than half the 1,500 people polled also back cutting development aid and spending on the EU.
Defence
The poll also shows 77% of voters think more cuts in defence spending, in particular abandoning plans to buy the JSF fighter jet, are the best way for the government to save money.
Earlier this week it emerged the first Dutch JSF is undergoing test flights in the US. The cabinet has put off making a final decision on whether or not to press ahead with the purchase and is leaving the issue up to the next government.
The outgoing government is already cutting spending on defence by €4bn and reducing the size of the armed forces by 12,000.
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