That is what Reinier Castelein, chairman of the trade union, says De Unie Based on two surveys of middle-income earners. "Our surveys—both among members and the Dutch population—show that citizens are experiencing increasingly less control over their income and expenses, while their trust in politics and their tax ethics are crumbling. This affects the foundations of our solidarity system and demands immediate action," says Castelein. The surveys show that uncertainty leads to a sense of powerlessness. "Young people, in particular, are more likely to experience stress about their fixed expenses and feel powerless when it comes to controlling their spending. It keeps them awake at night. In a prosperous country like the Netherlands, politicians, as well as employers, must take this seriously." Many election manifestos mention tax increases to invest in defense. "For a brief moment in The Hague, it was about security of existence. Now national security is the issue. Our surveys clearly show that the middle class's budget is still far from secure."
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Background of the research
De Unie presents the results of the research Expenditure certainty 2025 among the DutchThe survey was conducted among 1.455 working and retired Dutch people with secondary or higher education. The results show that those in the middle bracket are increasingly concerned about their earning capacity, their expenses, and how their tax money is spent.
In addition to this national survey, De Unie strip card you can also book a survey conducted among its own membersWith no fewer than 6.644 completed questionnaires, this is the fourth time since 2019 that De Unie surveys its constituents. This creates a long-term trend. The striking conclusion: the perception among members is virtually identical to that of the Dutch population.
Tax morale under pressure
Tax morale appears weak and is deteriorating further. Only 20% of Dutch people believe their tax money is spent wisely, and 22% indicate they receive sufficient compensation for their contributions. Among EU members, these figures are virtually identical (17% and 25%). At the same time, annoyance with taxes is growing: income tax is the most problematic, followed by energy levies and property tax.
Rising costs and less certainty
For 79% of Dutch people, essential expenses have risen again, particularly for energy, rent, and groceries. However, certainty about these costs is declining further: in 2025, only 37% feel confident about the amount of their fixed costs, compared to 44% a year earlier.
Income also offers less certainty. While in 2024, 66% of Dutch people felt confident about their income in the coming year, that has now dropped to 56%. We see the same trend among Union members (62% confident; 2024% in 67).
Political trust at an all-time low
Trust in politics is at a historic low. Dutch people give politics an average rating of 4,2, compared to 4,7 in 2024. More than 65% also indicate that their trust in politics has declined further in the past year. Among members of De Unie This picture is even sharper: 77% give politics an insufficient grade.
More and more Dutch people see politics as the cause of their financial worries. By 2025, 25% of Dutch people will believe that politics has played a negative role in their income growth (compared to 19% in 2024).
Powerlessness, especially among young people
Uncertainty translates into powerlessness. Younger Dutch people (under 35) are more likely to worry about their financial insecurity than older groups. We also see this pattern among Union members: young people feel more powerless and report more stress about their fixed expenses.
“Parties want us to invest more in national security, but let's not forget that the middle class's budget is still far from secure.”
Closing note
The national survey and the member survey of De Unie These findings confirm one another: middle-income earners feel increasingly financially insecure, are losing faith in politics, and are questioning how their tax money is being spent. Four surveys since 2019 among members, supplemented by a representative sample of the Dutch population, have revealed a consistent but worrying trend. This undermines the very foundations of our solidarity system and calls for urgent political action.
Meeting September 3
On Wednesday, September 3, more than 200 members of De Unie We met in Culemborg. The large-scale survey on spending security among our members was discussed in detail. We had an informative meeting with the attendees, featuring a presentation by Martin Visser of De Telegraaf on purchasing power and tax burdens for citizens, followed by a lecture on managing energy costs and making homes more sustainable by Dennis van der Meij and Henry Lootens.
updates:
The research of De Unie in the news:
September 15 2025 NPO Radio 1 Money or your life: Is the government right to choose to increase purchasing power?
September 10 2025 SBS 6 News of the day:
