Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy

From 10 August to 1 October 100.000 participants took part in the internet survey 21minuten.nl about democracy and the functioning of the state in The Netherlands.

While the majority favours support to new democratic countries, only 16 % believes that the use of military intervention against dictatorial regimes by democratic countries would be justified to pursue this objective. A majority (52%) argues that democracy should be the governing system in all countries around the world.

According to NIMD Executive Director, Mr Roel von Meijenfeldt "the outcome of the poll is an important indication that a majority of the Dutch population subscribes to the need to advance democracy world-wide as the preferred system of governance. Although the poll does not probe the arguments for this view, I do believe that this view is informed by the conviction that an increasingly democratic world shall contribute to less violent conflicts and to greater stability for socio-economic development and poverty eradication."

21minuten.nl is an independent and not-for-profit initiative of McKinsey & Company, Motivaction, the public broadcasting corporations and various (internet) media in The Netherlands. Since 2005 the opinion poll is held every year.

Resources and further reading

www.21minuten.nl (poll results and survey; in Dutch)

The opinion poll is one of the various activities during the Democracy week, held from 6 to 13 October (www.wijzijndebaas.nl). Central to this event are ten international documentaries about democracy. Have a look at the digital TV channel Hollanddoc www.hollanddoc.nl or the website of the international Why Democracy? project www.whydemocracy.net