Dutch business leaders are extremely unhappy with the current right-left coalition’s policies and think the cabinet is failing to tackle the crisis.

Employers’ organisation VNO-NCW questioned 471 company bosses about their attidudes to the VVD-PvdA government and current policy. In total, the cabinet scored just 4.9 out of 10 – a record low according to the Telegraaf.

Prime minister Mark Rutte was rated 5.4, well below most of his senior ministers. Top ranked minister was finance chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who scored 6.6.

Taxes

‘Our members are never happy about tax increases but the automatic way these have been applied over the past year has really annoyed them,’ chairman Bernard Wientjes told the Telegraaf.

While entrepreneurs are pleased with progress made on the infrastructure and reducing the crime rate, 86% said not enough is being done to cut red tape. In addition, business leaders think ministers are doing little to tackle the economic crisis and boost consumer confidence.

Around one in four of those questioned said they would vote for the VVD in a new general election – compared with 65% who did so at the last national vote.  The Liberal democratic party D66 have doubled their support from 11% to 25%. The Christian Democrats are supported by one in five entrepreneurs.