Political scientist Maurits Meijers examines trust in politics

06 November 2024 Research news item

Are political parties still credible? Maurits Meijers, Associate Professor of Political Representation, unravels that question.

In democracies worldwide, trust between citizens and politics seems to be under pressure. In the Netherlands, too, trust in politics is at stake. The question whether political parties are still credible was recently at the centre of a panel discussion with experts in The Hague, organised by political scientists Maurits Meijers (Radboud University) and Mariken van der Velden (VU University Amsterdam) in cooperation with the Montesquieu Institute and the Documentation Centre for Dutch Political Parties. ‘An unequivocal answer is difficult to give,’ says Maurits Meijers, Associate Professor of Political Representation. ‘I try to unravel how politicians’ behaviour affects citizens‘ trust.’

The close relationship between voters and political parties in the Netherlands is not as strong as it used to be, Meijers explains. 'People used to vote mainly on the basis of their pillar, which ensured a stable relationship of trust with a fixed party. As a worker you voted for the PvdA, as a Catholic for the KVP, a predecessor of the CDA. Now, citizens can rely less on existing political identities and more often choose based on topical issues and personal preferences. Now that many people lack that deep-rooted relationship of trust, the question of whether political parties are credible is even more important.'

What is the answer to that question?

'That question is not so easy to answer. Politicians‘ behaviour affects citizens’ trust. I have investigated what people think when parties change position, for example, when they ‘pivot’. Does that damage reputations? Many people understand this, at least in theory. But when all is said and done, trust still drops and a party loses credibility. Consider the turn the VVD/Rutte (Rutte III government) made in abolishing the dividend tax. That suddenly went off the table after Unilever renounced a move to the Netherlands.

And when parties have to compromise? Do they lose trust then too?

'I investigated that with my colleague Marieke van der Velden of VU University Amsterdam. There we found more or less the same thing: people have a lot of sympathy for the idea of compromise, compromises are desirable and necessary. But as soon as parties actually compromise, confidence in the party declines and dissatisfaction arises. Populist voters with an anti-elite attitude, by the way, have a lot less understanding of position changes and compromises. You could see this in the PVV's campaign, which was really an anti-compromise campaign.'

What does this mean for the credibility of parties now in government? For instance, for the PVV, which now won't get an emergency asylum bill after all?

'It is still very uncertain how voters are going to react to this government. The BBB and NSC have also had to compromise quite a bit and compromise on points. The BBB's fattening plans have not gone down well with its supporters. Their credibility is certainly at stake. Whether PVV voters are going to punish Wilders for his ‘spin’ on the asylum file is hard to predict.'

Do political lies also affect our trust?

'It is precisely for this question that I recently received a Starting Grant from the European Research Council. Consider, for example, the post-travel-on-nareis claim by VVD leader and former justice minister Dilan Yesilgöz. She claimed that thousands of asylum seekers use so-called stacked family reunification. In the end, it turned out to be an average of 70 cases a year. Many therefore believed that Yesilgöz had lied. I want to investigate whether such (alleged) lies also come at a price. When do voters consider something a lie? What kind of lies are involved? And who exactly is accusing whom of lies? And perhaps the most important question: how does this affect citizens and their trust in democracy? Politicians' behaviour - whether compromising, changing positions or deception - affects how citizens view democracy. And that is already under pressure.'