Major Dutch employers' group gives Rutte cabinet high marks

Scores 6.0 or better

THE HAGUE - Dutch entrepreneurs are pleased with the Rutte cabinet. They are giving individual ministers as well as cabinet policies good scores, a new survey by employer organization VNO-NCW indicates.

The survey, in which nearly 500 executives participated, was carried out late December 2010, about two months after the minority cabinet of the conservative liberal (VVD) and Christian democrat (CDA) parties, supported by Geert Wilders' Party for Freedom (PVV), took office.

The survey gives new Prime Minister Mark Rutte high marks. The Finance Minister Jan Kees de Jager also was awarded a 7.7 out a possible 10.0 from the executives. No single minister scored below a passable 6.0.

In 2009, the executives were far less enthusiastic about the cabinet coalition of CDA, Labour (PvdA) and junior partner ChristenUnie when only five ministers (Camiel Eurlings, Maxime Verhagen, Ernst Hirsch Ballin, Piet Hein Donner and Wouter Bos) rated a six or better. No members of this cabinet were given the fours and the fives that executives had regularly dished out in recent years.