The super-rich are undermining democracy, including in the Netherlands, aid and human rights organisation Oxfam Novib warned in an inventory of the accumulated wealth of billionaires across the world.

The combined wealth of the world’s billionaires rose by 16% to a record $18.3 trillion, or almost €16,000 billion in 2025, the organisation said.

The over 3,000 billionaires, the agency said, own twice the total wealth of 3.6 billion people, in an “extreme contrast” with the poverty in the world.

In the Netherlands, the wealth of the 500 richest people rose to €273 billion, twice the annual national care budget and five times the education budget, Oxfam said. They own 9% of the total national wealth while making up just 0.003% of the population.

The super-rich are using their wealth and accompanying influence to influence politics, the media and the economy, the organisation said.

During last year’s election, 11 members of the Quote 500 rich list were responsible for 20% of donations to political parties, 86% of which were to centre or right-wing parties.

“The influence of the super-rich is growing,” Oxfam director Michiel Servaes told RTL Nieuws. “They are richer than ever and they are using their power increasingly blatantly and shamelessly.

“What used to be kept behind the scenes is now happening openly. You have only to look at the American big tech billionaires surrounding Trump and the Dutch business clubs ‘lending a helping hand’ to enable a right-wing cabinet.”