Support for King Willem-Alexander is currently at an all-time low. Meanwhile, he’s due for a raise — in 2022 the King’s salary will, for the first time, be more than €1 million.
Every year Dutchies are surveyed on how they feel about the king, the royal family, and well… politics in general.
The most recent survey showed that confidence in King Willem-Alexander has declined. On King’s Day this year, 57% of Dutchies indicated that they have confidence in the monarch. The NOS reports that around Budget Day, it’s now only 44%.
2020 was a bad year for the King
In the run-up to King’s Day 2020 — the days when we were making sourdough and lockdowns were still kind of peaceful — 76% of all Dutchies indicated that they had a reasonable amount of confidence in the King. By December 2020, that number had plummeted to 47% — not his year!
He’s done a couple of things over the past year that haven’t been great for his public image. Think going on holiday to Greece mid-pandemic, 🌊 ignoring the coronavirus rules during the football festivities, ⚽️ and closing down part of the Kroondomein Het Loo national park — allegedly so he can hunt. 🦌
Still due for a raise
Despite the overwhelming decline of Dutchies confidence in the King, the monarch will still be getting a salary increase next year, RTL Nieuws reports. His constitutional benefit will increase from €998,000, so that for the first time ever it exceeds a whopping €1 million. 😳 💸
What are your thoughts on the dwindling confidence in the King, and his €1 million salary? Tell us in the comments below!
Feature Image: Mauvries/Depositphotos
The idea of a King and/or Queen is so antiquated. This is a hold over from the Middle Ages. According to (2019) Business Insider: “The current King of Netherlands, King Willem-Alexander, was allocated a budget of $47 million, which covers official visits and overseas tours. He also has a personal fortune consisting of real estate, investments, and a stake in Shell Oil.” I think it is time to let royalty ride off into the sunset.