CIVICUS discusses the new Dutch government with Aïcha Chaghouani, Advocacy and Partnerships Manager at the Netherlands Helsinki Committee, a civil society organisation that promotes democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Europe.

After months of negotiations following the 29 October election, the Netherlands formed a new minority centrist coalition government in late February. As it holds just 66 of 150 parliamentary seats, it will need opposition support to pass legislation. While a far-right party is no longer part of government, human rights organisations have raised concerns about the coalition’s approach to asylum seekers and refugees.

What’s your assessment of the new coalition government?

The coalition agreement creates mixed expectations. Compared to the previous government, which included far-right participation, it represents an improvement in several areas. It explicitly recognises the importance of civil society and meaningful consultation with citizens and civil society organisations, alongside commitments to strengthen democracy and the rule of law. These include reinforcing judicial independence, improving oversight institutions, investing in civic education and strengthening efforts to prevent racism and other forms of discrimination.

In foreign policy, the agreement signals a shift from a transactional, protectionist approach towards a value-driven agenda centred on civil society support, human rights and international cooperation. This is significant given the broader European context, where democratic standards and international cooperation are increasingly under pressure.

Although there are signs of a positive shift, particularly in the renewed willingness to engage with civil society on policy-making, the overall impact is uncertain. Political norms are shifting in concerning ways, with proposals that raise human rights and rule-of-law concerns increasingly gaining parliamentary support, including from centrist parties.

Several key policy areas, including asylum legislation and funding for international development and democracy programmes, depend on parliamentary negotiations and Senate approval. As a minority government, it will need to secure support beyond the coalition to translate these commitments into tangible outcomes.

What are your main human rights concerns?

Our main concerns relate to the protection of asylum seekers and migrants, restrictions affecting the right to protest and expansion of the state’s surveillance powers.

Pending Senate approval, the coalition intends to continue implementing restrictive asylum legislation introduced under the previous government. In particular, criminalisation could limit undocumented migrants’ access to essential support services and indirectly affect the civil society groups that support them.

Civil society monitoring, including our recent report on civic space, has documented surveillance of peaceful protesters, police misconduct, restrictive decisions by local authorities and an approach focused on control rather than enabling protest. A change of government alone does not automatically reverse these trends unless deliberate action is taken to strengthen protections.

The right to peaceful assembly is particularly under pressure. Although around 97 per cent of protests pass without incident, and reported incidents often involve only isolated arrests, public discourse increasingly portrays protests as a threat to public order. In the absence of strong safeguards, data protection and independent oversight, surveillance, including through facial recognition technology, risks undermining democratic participation.

Several recent legislative proposals could restrict freedoms of association, expression and peaceful assembly and privacy rights. Continued vigilance is therefore essential.

How is civil society responding, and what are its key demands?

Civil society has become significantly more vigilant. New coalitions have emerged, coordination has strengthened and advocacy strategies have become more effective at mobilising public engagement around legislation affecting civic space. Our recent civic space report drew on input from numerous civil society experts. Through cooperation with other civil society networks, organisations are advancing recommendations to strengthen protections for democratic participation.

Key priorities include a national action plan aligned with the European Union’s Civil Society Strategy, recognising the essential role of peaceful activism and watchdog organisations in a democracy. Civil society is also calling for improved participation structures, a dedicated democracy fund to support monitoring and engagement activities, reduced administrative burdens and stronger follow-up on intimidation and violence against activists.

Does the new government’s reliance on other parties create opportunities for change?

The coalition government’s minority status creates uncertainty and opportunity. Because the government must secure a parliamentary majority for each proposal, opposition parties and civil society have greater potential to shape policy outcomes.

The largest opposition force, the Green-Social Democrats, shares our concerns about civic space pressures and democratic decline, which may create opportunities for cooperation on strengthening safeguards. But far-right parties are also influential in parliament, meaning the direction of policy-making will depend heavily on where the government seeks support.

This dynamic introduces greater flexibility into the legislative process. Whether this results in stronger democratic protections or further restrictive measures will depend on political negotiations and sustained civil society engagement.

CIVICUS interviews a wide range of civil society activists, experts and leaders to gather diverse perspectives on civil society action and current issues for publication on its CIVICUS Lens platform. The views expressed in interviews are the interviewees’ and do not necessarily reflect those of CIVICUS. Publication does not imply endorsement of interviewees or the organisations they represent.