Stephen J. By Bose, Worth News Europe Bureau Chief
Amsterdam (meaningful news) – Anti-immigration and localist parties made gains in municipal elections in the Netherlands, where concerns over increased migration, mainly from Islamic countries, the fiscal impact of climate policies and rising defense spending have dominated national and local debate.
Local lists received about 35.5 percent of the vote overall, up from 32.8 percent previously, meaning that about 2.6 million voters supported a local party. In many councils, including The Hague, local parties are now the largest or second largest political force.
Local parties performed particularly well in Wednesday’s voting, especially in areas where the location of new refugee centers was a major issue. “Anti-refugee sentiment gets a face,” Amsterdam-based left-leaning daily De Volkskrant (“The People’s Newspaper”) said in a commentary.
The anti-Islam and staunchly pro-Israel Party for Freedom (PVV), led by veteran politician Geert Wilders, became the largest party in Pekela in the northern province of Groningen, as well as in Zeeland’s southwestern province of Terneuzen, where concerns about a refugee center were a major campaign theme.
The radical-right Forum for Democracy (FVD), which has campaigned strongly against immigration and climate policies, also made gains, winning seats in the majority of the 104 councils where it fielded candidates.
Emergence of local parties across the country
One of the most notable local victories was in The Hague, where Richard de Mos’s local party Hart voor den Haag (“Heart for The Hague”) increased its representation in the 45-seat council from nine to 16 seats. The result makes it likely that the party will participate in the next ruling coalition after being excluded earlier.
Among national parties, the results were broadly in line with the previous election. The Democrats 66 (D66) won about 9 percent of the vote and a majority of the seats overall, while the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) recorded relatively stable performances.
With most of the results counted as of Thursday morning, turnout stood at just over 54 percent, slightly higher than the last municipal elections held four years ago.
Despite losing ground nationwide, Grönlinks–PvdA (Greenleft–Labor coalition) leader Jesse Culver said he was “very proud” that the coalition had retained its position in urban areas after a disappointing general election.
Yet commentators said it was clear that voters had punished the party for what they described as a disconnect between its pro-immigration and pro-green policies and the Dutch people facing rising costs of everyday life and the tax burden.
Coalition pressure and urban strongholds
Despite setbacks, Groenlinks-PVDA remained the largest political force in several major cities, including Amsterdam and the port city of Rotterdam, both of which have large immigrant populations.
The elections were also seen as an early test for Prime Minister Rob Jetten, whose minority government was sworn in on February 23 amid rising political tensions.
On the eve of the election, a local politician was injured in an incident highlighting tensions surrounding the campaign. Kevin Kreuger, a city councilor in Amsterdam and leader of the JA21 faction, was attacked on Tuesday evening in the Osdorpplein in the Nieuw-West district after taking part in a televised election debate.
According to Dutch media reports, Kreuger intervened in an incident in which a group of youths were allegedly harassing a girl near a fast-food restaurant. When he started filming, his phone was reportedly taken and he was attacked.
Eyewitnesses and local outreach workers said he was left injured on the road before he could receive help. Kreuger later filed a police report, and officials confirmed that an investigation was ongoing, with camera footage reportedly secured.
Amsterdam Mayor Famke Halsema condemned the attack, calling it “horrible and criminal”, and wished the politician strength as he undergoes a medical examination. The incident has raised concerns about political debate and rising tensions over public safety in the Netherlands.
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