We agree more than we think
In short
AAnomaly
On 12 November 2026 the Dutch tax plan won a majority: 76 to 74 1. A government crisis followed anyway. Two governing parties voted with the left-wing opposition, the third voted against 1, 2. After that, the news was mostly about who voted with whom. Yet in 2025, 51% of Dutch voters already wanted left and right to work together, and 82% said politics is too busy with itself 3.
RReframe
Three in four people think the country is drifting apart. The Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP) did not see that in 2022: views are not clearly drifting apart, and people agree on more than they think 4. Left and right are a map. The map says who belongs with whom. It does not say what needs solving.
CCreate: questions for your team
- Where do we talk about the camp instead of the subject?
- Do we judge an idea on what it is, or on who says it?
Rethink the premise.
Go deeper The full piece, with all sources
AAnomaly
On Thursday 12 November 2026 the Dutch parliament passed the tax plan, 76 votes to 74 1. The government of D66, VVD and CDA holds 66 of 150 seats. It always needs support from the opposition 1. This time that support came from, among others, the parties Pro and Volt, after a deal on an extra tax on large fortunes (the "millionaires' tax"). D66 and CDA voted in favour. Coalition partner VVD voted against and called the course of events "ontluisterend", disillusioning 1, 2. The prime minister wants to "restore trust" 1.
The VVD had two objections. The first is about content: the millionaires' tax was a proposal by Pro and Volt that the government itself had advised against 6. The second is about the route. The VVD wanted a majority with right-wing parties, but those talks stalled. Then D66 and CDA made a deal with the left 6. VVD leader Yeşilgöz said her party was "overvallen door een slechte deal", ambushed by a bad deal 7.
So there was a real disagreement on content. But the plan won a majority, which is exactly what a minority government has to do. It was still called a crisis. The conversation was hardly about what the plan does for people. It was mostly about who voted with whom.
In September 2025, 82% of voters said politics is too busy with itself instead of with people's problems. In 2022 that was 58%. And 51% wanted left-wing and right-wing parties to work together to keep the country governable; 18% did not 3. The poll is from before this crisis.
RReframe
We think the Netherlands is splitting into two camps. Three in four people believe differences of opinion are growing. But in 2022 the SCP saw no clear increase: on some subjects views move further apart, on others closer, and on many subjects there is more agreement than people think 4, 5. What did rise in recent years is the negative feeling about people who think differently 5.
Our reading: left and right are a map, not the territory. The map is useful to see who belongs with whom. But if you only look at the map, you stop seeing the problem. This is not only politics. Many organisations know it: we from sales, they from IT. An idea is weighed by its sender.
CCreate: questions for your team
- Where do we talk about the camp instead of the subject?
- Do we judge an idea on what it is, or on who says it?
- Which proposal did we reject because it came from "the others"?
Rethink the premise.
Sources
- Regering wankelt in Nederland: kleinste meerderheid keurt belastingplan goed, zonder coalitiepartner VVDStrong
- Crisisoverleg Jetten over toekomst coalitieStrong
- Democratie, polarisatie en het politieke klimaatStrong · poll from before this crisis
- Nederlanders ergeren zich aan polarisatie (SCP research)Medium · via news report
- Hoe gepolariseerd is Nederland?Medium · summary of SCP and others; names no study for the rise in negative feelings
- VVD voelt zich gepasseerd na belastingdeal: 'De coalitie is geofferd'Medium · views of journalists, not the VVD itself
- Crisis in kabinet, Yesilgöz: wij zijn overvallen door slechte deal D66 en CDA (liveblog)Strong
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