Government: size & composition
Part I — the engine
What it shows
The size of collective spending and revenue relative to GDP, what the money goes to (COFOG functions), public-sector employment, and the debt and deficit position against EMU norms — the Netherlands has run comparatively low debt for two decades.
What it cannot prove
Effectiveness. Spending %GDP measures input, not outcomes — a euro on education is counted, not judged. General government ≠ "The Hague": it includes municipalities, and health spending routed through mandatory private insurance sits partly outside these totals.
Comparepick a window — every card then leads with its change
E1Government expenditure
45.3% of GDP
Q1 2026CBS
E2Spending by function
44.4% of GDP
2024Eurostat
E3Government consumption
26.0% GDP
2025CBS
E4Government employment
1,156k FTE
2025CBS
E5Health spending
10.2% of GDP
2025Eurostat
E8Government debt (EMU)
43.8% of GDP
Q1 2026CBS
More indicators for this domain are planned — see the methodology & roadmap. Missing here means not credible yet, not forgotten.