According to a recent study, the trust the people of the Netherlands have in the EU’s ability to combat the coronavirus pandemic is higher than the EU average.

The Dutch trust the EU to handle the coronavirus pandemic

According to the results of a recent EU poll, known as the Eurobarometer, 68 percent of people in the Netherlands trust the EU to combat and navigate its way out of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. On average, “only” 59 percent of EU residents feel the same way.

In addition to this, the Eurobatometer found that there is a relatively high willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in the Netherlands – almost two-thirds of the population compared to an EU-average of 42 percent. 70 percent of respondents also said they were positive about the Dutch government’s approach to the pandemic. 

The Netherlands trusts mainstream and traditional media

The poll didn’t just address issues related to COVID-19. Residents in all 27 member states as well as the five candidate countries (Albania, Montenegro, Republic of North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey) were also asked about their views on the euro and the reliability of mainstream news.

85 percent of respondents voiced support for the euro, however in comparison to their fellow member states, few in the Netherlands feel that public money should be used to stimulate investment in the private sector at EU level (only 43 percent). Furthermore, the Netherlands showed overwhelming support for the minimum wage, with 91 percent of respondents saying all member states should enforce a mandatory minimum wage. 94 percent also said there should be fair taxation on large technology companies. 

The Eurobarometer also found that 70 percent of people in the Netherlands trust so-called traditional media (i.e. radio, TV and newspapers), while only 10 percent feel that social media is a reliable source of news and information.