Even though many people in the Netherlands feel society is becoming more divided, trust between individuals and institutions remains stable, the government’s socio-cultural think tank SCP said on Tuesday.

“Our society appears resilient in the face of challenges, but this social cohesion is not guaranteed… and there are significant disparities between different groups,” the SCP said in a new report.

The report shows that these disparities mainly reflect people’s level of education. “Education is a stronger determinant of mutual trust, voting behaviour, and participation in activities such as volunteering than age or ethnic origins,” the SCP said.

“This means social cohesion in the Netherlands requires attention. Equality, opportunities for interaction, and common goals are key to maintaining it.”

Social solidarity, the SCP said, is reflected in trust in others, trust in institutions (such as the media, businesses, judges, police, civil servants, or the Dutch parliament), membership in associations, volunteering, and voting in general elections.

Although social cohesion is generally strong in the Netherlands, people with basic or vocational secondary education (vmbo) tend to have lower levels of trust in others compared to those with higher education (47% versus 84%).

Other concerns highlighted in the report include low trust in the Dutch parliament and negative feelings towards certain migrant groups.

“Social cohesion does not require everyone to share the same connections or opinions,” the SCP said. “Society can function well as long as people have sufficient opportunities to meet each other and share common goals. Both the government and society at large have a role to play in this.”

It is also crucial to prevent segregated communities, fight discrimination, and ensure people actively participate in society, the SCP said.

• Read a summary of the SCP report, in English

Schools inspectors and other experts have also called repeatedly for an end to early selection in Dutch schools, saying there is ‘unacceptable’ inequality in Dutch education because children of well-educated parents are scoring better in final primary school exams than children of equal intelligence from more disadvantaged backgrounds.

Norms and values

The SCP report comes amid a major political row over recording the religious and cultural attitudes of people with roots abroad, as promoted by VVD parliamentarian Bente Becker.

She says understanding the attitudes of immigrants and their offspring is crucial to boosting their integration into Dutch society.

However, national statistics agency CBS said in February that people of Dutch origin with high salaries are least likely to have people with foreign roots in their networks of friends, colleagues and neighbours.  And the higher the income, the more likely they are to live in a segregated bubble.