The Netherlands: an impression of corruption in a less corrupt country

The Netherlands has consistently been high on the Corruption Perceptions Index and, comparatively speaking, there is still significant attention paid to integrity. Yet, many Dutch citizens are critical of public administration and are cynical about politics. Although bribery appears to be uncommon in the Netherlands, there are growing concerns that the country is more corrupt than one would think at first glance. This chapter will provide an overview of the current state of corruption in the Netherlands. Two cases are discussed that illustrate that the Netherlands has its own concerns when it comes to corruption. The fact that in the major corruption cases individuals had organized themselves in networks in which various integrity violations occurred is something which is increasingly recognized. The network corruption or corruption in the polder requires a different way of approaching corruption.