Slightly more people in the Netherlands say they are religious

There has been a marginal increase in the number of people in the Netherlands who say they are part of a religious group, ending years of successive decline.

In total, 44% of the population now identify with a church, mosque or synagogue, compared with 42% in 2023 but as many as 55% in 2010.

There has been no increase in the number of people calling themselves Catholics (17%) or Muslims (6%). Some 14% identify as Protestants, a rise of one percentage point, and 7% now subscribe to another religion, also a one percentage point increase.

Women account for 46% of religious communities and men 42%. Young people are least likely to say they are religious — just 32% say they are members of a religious community.

Some 13% of people visit a house of worship at least once a month, but 72% of those identifying as Catholic rarely or never go to church.

Protestants and Muslims are most likely to go to church or mosque every week although only around a third actually do so.