Politics · Netherlands · 8 hrs ago
Dutch policy drove growth in the number of civil servants, commentary says
The number of Dutch civil servants grew as a result of government policy, according to political commentator Hans van Soest.
His commentary says that promising to cut civil-service jobs is popular with voters.
But governments have repeatedly failed to make those cuts, he writes.
The commentary says the extra staff did not appear by chance.
It links their growth to decisions made in The Hague, where the Dutch government is based.
The commentary does not specify which policies drove the increase or what may happen next.
Political reporter Hans van Soest says Dutch policy in The Hague drove the growth in the number of civil servants.
He writes that calls to cut the number of civil servants tend to win applause from voters.
But, he says, there is a reason such cuts repeatedly fail.
The article does not specify what that reason is.
- Who
- Political reporter Hans van Soest wrote the commentary.
- What
- He argues that policy in The Hague drove growth in the number of civil servants.
- When
- The commentary was published on 26 October 2026.
- Where
- The Netherlands; the article refers to policy in The Hague.
- Why
- Van Soest says there is a reason cuts to the number of civil servants repeatedly fail, but does not state what it is.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Writer
- Hans van Soest
- Outlet
- AD
- Publication date
- 26 October 2026
- Policy location
- The Hague
What people are saying
Calling for cuts to the number of civil servants sounds good.