Record-low approval ratings for minority government Jetten, worse than previous cabinets
The minority government led by Prime Minister Rob Jetten is facing strikingly low levels of public confidence just three months into its term. New research by Ipsos I&O shows that only 24 percent of Dutch voters are satisfied with the cabinet, while nearly two-thirds (64 percent) express dissatisfaction. This puts the Jetten cabinet below earlier governments such as Rutte IV (2022–2024) and Schoof (2024–2025) at the same stage.
According to voters, the cabinet’s weak performance is largely due to its minority construction. The coalition—made up of D66, VVD and CDA—does not hold a majority in the House of Representatives, limiting its ability to push through legislation.
Many respondents say the government is struggling to translate plans into concrete policy. This criticism is not confined to opposition voters. Support among coalition voters themselves appears fragile. Among VVD supporters, a majority (52 percent) is dissatisfied.
The combination of low satisfaction, declining trust and limited governing capacity makes for a fragile start to the Jetten administration. Migration policy in particular remains a major vulnerability, while internal support cannot be taken for granted.
With no parliamentary majority and mounting pressure from both left and right, the government faces a significant challenge in restoring voter confidence in the near term.
Confidence in asylum policy hits historic low
The government is rapidly losing credibility, particularly on migration and asylum policy. Only 15 percent of voters still believe the cabinet’s approach to the migration crisis will be effective. This marks a sharp decline from earlier measurements: as recently as 2024, nearly half of voters expressed confidence in the policy.
Confidence is also falling across other policy areas—including housing, healthcare and poverty—but nowhere is the drop as steep as on migration. The issue remains politically explosive and a key benchmark for the cabinet’s success.
The Hague Insider
Criticism from both left and right
Left-wing and PRO voters primarily criticize cuts to healthcare and social security, arguing the cabinet prioritizes businesses and the wealthy. Right-wing voters (PVV, JA21, FvD), meanwhile, focus their criticism on migration policy and the role of D66, which they say is failing to act decisively on asylum inflows.
Among VVD and CDA supporters, frustration is also directed at the coalition dynamics. Some argue D66 is not shifting far enough to the right, while others feel the VVD exerts too much influence.
D66 voters remain relatively loyal
Among coalition supporters, D66 voters are the most satisfied: 72 percent approve of the cabinet. They particularly value the return of political stability after the turbulent Schoof government.
Still, even within D66 there is no full consensus. Critical voters accuse the VVD of pushing policy too far to the right and regret the lack of cooperation with Progressief Nederland (PRO).
Falling ratings for ministers
Not only the cabinet as a whole, but individual ministers are also seeing declining approval ratings. Prime Minister Jetten’s personal rating has dropped from 5.7 to 5.2, placing him among the lower-ranked ministers.
The Hague Insider
One of the steepest declines is seen with minister Elanor Boekholt-O’Sullivan, whose rating has fallen sharply to 4.1. VVD leader and Defence Minister Dilan Yesilgöz continues to score low at 4.3, partly due to criticism of her political leadership.
Electoral impact remains limited for now
Despite the poor approval ratings, shifts in voting intentions remain relatively modest. In the latest poll, Progressief Nederland—the alliance of PvdA and GroenLinks—remains the largest party with 24 seats.
The coalition parties have, however, lost ground compared to the 2025 elections. D66, VVD and CDA together are down ten seats, bringing their total to 56. D66 accounts for the largest share of the losses, with many voters switching to PRO.
On the right, JA21 and FvD have made gains since the election, although their growth has stabilized in recent weeks.
