While nearly seven in 10 of the Dutch condemn discrimination, a similar percentage think people are too quick to say they have been discriminated against, according to new research by the government’s socio-cultural think-tank SCP.

Some 54% think there is more discrimination in the Netherlands than there was 20 years ago, partly because minorities have become more visible. However, 72% say that people are too quick to describe everything which is hurtful as discrimination.

That position, the SCP says, allows people to play down the problem and dismiss it as a fact of life which victims have to learn to deal with. They therefore fail to take on board inequalities of power and opportunity within society in general, the SCP said.

The SCP assesses the state of the nation every quarter in its Burgerperspectieven  report.

This quarter’s publication also found almost four in 10 people are more positive that the country is heading in the right direction, compared with 25% in the previous quarter.

They are also more positive about both domestic politics and the importance of the EU. However, immigration and the deterioration in social standards remain their main areas of concern.