By Cadence Chua, Esmée Zuiker, and Lou Boot
On 18 March, residents of 333 municipalities across the Netherlands will head to the polls to vote for their preferred candidates in the 2026 Dutch municipal elections. Want to know whether you can vote and, if so, how? Read on to find out.
The ins and outs of voting
Municipal elections are city council elections that happen every four years, where 45 candidates from different parties will be elected. In Amsterdam, this means that most people who are residents of Amsterdam will be able to vote for city council members who help represent the beliefs and values of the people living here. If a potential voter is over the age of 18, registered in the municipality, and is either an EU citizen or a non-EU citizen who has lived in the Netherlands continuously for at least five years, they will be eligible to vote.
If eligible to vote, you will automatically receive an envelope in your mail from the government which includes your stempas, also known as a voting pass. With an ID and this pass, you will be able to walk into any voting station in Amsterdam and cast your vote for whichever candidate you would like to vote for.
This year, elections will take place on Wednesday, 18 March. While being able to vote anywhere in Amsterdam, AUC will have a voting station in the Common Room. Voting booths are open from approximately 7:30-21:00, although this may change depending on the location.
The role of the gemeenteraad (city council)
These elections are held every four years to determine members of the municipal councils. Specifically, in Amsterdam, voters decide on the composition of the gemeenteraad and the stadsdeelcommissies (district committees).
The Amsterdam gemeenteraad comprises 45 elected representatives from various political parties, who work on policy-making and implementation in the city. These representatives serve as a check-and-balance, ensuring that the college van B&W (the municipal executive, consisting of the mayor and several alderpersons, appointed by the King) implements policies properly. The gemeenteraad is also responsible for approving decisions made by the college or making its own.
Representatives mostly make decisions presented to them by the city council committees, which are comprised of experts from various parties. In Amsterdam, there are nine such bodies: General Affairs, Sustainability and Circular Economy, Finance, Art and Diversity, Mobility, Public Space and Water, Education, Health and Poverty Prevention, Spatial Planning, Social Affairs, Economy and Democratisation, City Development, and Housing Construction and Public Housing. Members of these committees are not democratically elected and represent most of the political parties in Amsterdam. The gemeenteraad thus has a greater say in what, from the committees, gets implemented. In most major cities, including Amsterdam, housing will be a key issue.
The gemeenteraad will also deal with other day-to-day matters that impact every Amsterdam resident, including public transport, tourist taxes, funding for cultural spaces, the management of green spaces, etc.
The parties that hold seats on the gemeenteraad are as follows, from the most to the least number of seats held: Partij voor de Arbeid (PvdA), GroenLinks (GL), Democraten 66 (D66), Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie (VVD), Partij voor de Dieren (PvdD), VOLT, Socialistische Partij (SP), JA21, DENK, De Vonk, Christen-Democratisch Appèl (CDA), Forum voor Democratie (FvD), and the Partij voor Morgen.
The role of stadsdeelcommissies (district committees)
The stadsdeelcommissies are also part of the governing bodies of Amsterdam, together with the gemeenteraad and the college van B&W. In Amsterdam, there are seven of them – Noord, Nieuw-West, Oud-West, the City Centre, Zuid, Oost, and Zuidoost. For AUC students, as residents of Science Park, you are eligible to vote for the Oost stadsdeelcommissie.
Stadsdeelcommissies handle tasks such as road works, infrastructure, and cleaning. They execute decisions made by the gemeenteraad and the college van B&W, adapting them to each district’s needs and conditions. In addition to execution, they advise the other two bodies, serving as a bridge between them and the residents.
The Oost stadsdeelcommissie executive board consists of Zeeger Ernsting (GL), Carolien de Heer (PvdA, the chairperson of the stadsdeelcommissie) and Jan-Bert Vroege (D66). Members consist of three from GL, three from D66, two from PvdA, two from VVD, one from SP, one from DENK, and others from smaller parties and interests.
Parties and Polls
PvdA
For decades, the Partij van de Arbeid (Labour Party) has played a prominent role in Amsterdam politics. It is traditionally a social-democratic party positioned on the centre-left of the political spectrum. In their programme for Amsterdam, they emphasise solidarity, diversity, social equality, labour rights, and housing. Regarding housing, the party aims to improve affordability by expanding social and mid‑rent housing opportunities. For both new and existing developments, they aim to create “complete” and mixed neighbourhoods, with adequate facilities, including shops, schools, green spaces, and playgrounds. Social safety is another key theme, particularly for women, LGBTQIA+ people and minorities. At the same time, PvdA strives for fair incomes, good education, and seeks to enhance social equality through measures such as free public transport for children and low‑income residents, and subsidies where needed to improve access to sports facilities. The party is also a strong advocate of climate action and sustainability. The latest polls suggest that the PvdA will remain the largest party with eight seats, one fewer than they currently hold.
GL
GroenLinks (GreenLeft) is a progressive, left-wing party focusing on climate, sustainability and social equality. GroenLinks Amsterdam stands for a fair, green and inclusive city that is affordable, safe and clean. They prioritise tackling the housing crisis and inequality, over‑tourism, and supporting local businesses and culture. In addition, they aim to make Amsterdam a safe haven that actively combats discrimination and gives people greater say in how the city is governed. In addition, they push for ambitious climate action, making Amsterdam a more environmentally friendly and climate-resilient city. In both the current city council and the polls (together with D66), GL is the second-largest party, closely behind PvdA. Polls suggest that they will continue to hold eight seats.
The merger of PvdA and GL
Despite running together in the October national elections and planning to complete their merger this year, Amsterdam is one of the few municipalities where PvdA and GroenLinks still run as separate parties. The local party branches were given the autonomy to make this choice.
The two parties share many positions—hence the merger—but they are also aware of their differences. In Amsterdam, this is evident, for example, in its stance on coffeeshops: the PvdA wants to ban access for non-Dutch customers, whereas GL opposes this, arguing that such a measure would merely push the problem onto the streets without solving it. GL also advocates further restricting car use and parking to make the city “autosluw” (discouraging car traffic). At the same time, the PvdA emphasises that the city centre should remain accessible by car for residents and workers.
After the election, the parties will form a single faction on the city council. Which of the two becomes the larger party will likely influence the faction’s emphasis and direction. Running separately is also seen as a strategic move, as it would allow them to appeal to more centrist and left-leaning voters who might otherwise vote for smaller parties. Both parties emphasise that a vote for either is still a vote for the broader left-wing front, which they hope to kick-start through their merger.
D66
Democraten 66 (Democrats 66), which came out as the largest party in the most recent national elections in the Netherlands, is the third-largest party in Amsterdam. D66 is a social-liberal political party that can be described as left on the social spectrum and centre on the economic spectrum. They aim to address the housing crisis primarily by building as many new homes as possible. They take a more liberal stance on the approach than more left-leaning parties by allowing housing corporations to sell part of their social housing, as they believe this can generate capital to finance the construction of new homes. Some other key issues for the D66 are tackling the shortages in education, investing in green innovation and infrastructure, and tackling safety issues, especially for the more vulnerable groups within society. They currently hold seven seats and are expected to remain at that number.
VVD
The Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie (People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy) is a centre-right liberal party that believes in individual responsibility and a strong economy. They want to make it easier to build and buy homes by not requiring compliance with a set housing mix (social, mid-income, free-market). They also place strong emphasis on safety, with increased enforcement and a tough approach to crime. In mobility, they resist a very far‑reaching “autoluw” agenda and want the city to remain accessible by car, while still investing in public transport and cycling. On climate, they aim for sustainable innovation but stress that measures must be feasible, affordable, and not unduly increase local taxes. They also emphasise their goal of investing more in keeping the city clean and support the use of surveillance cameras to address the misuse of underground waste containers. They currently hold five seats and poll at three.
PvdD
Partij voor de Dieren (Party for the Animals) is a far-left-wing, environmentalist party that focuses primarily on the welfare of animals, while also standing for environmental conservation and an anti-capitalist economy. In Amsterdam, this is reflected in issues such as their opposition to extending the Noord/Zuidlijn metro line to Schiphol Airport, as they believe this would increase the airport’s popularity, whereas they advocate for its degrowth. Another exemplary stance is the party’s goal of closing Artis, the city zoo, as they state that keeping animals in captivity is outdated. In contrast, other parties on the left, such as GL and PvdA, highlight Artis’s cultural and educational importance and support its trajectory toward greater animal-friendliness. Additionally, PvdD advocates for a city without mass tourism by raising the tourism tax, promoting local sustainable enterprises, and converting hotels and vacant office buildings into affordable housing. PvdD currently holds three seats in the Amsterdam council and is polling at four.
Bij1
Bij1 (Together) is a left‑wing, explicitly anti‑racist and intersectional party that puts structural inequality and discrimination at the centre of its politics. In Amsterdam, they strongly oppose gentrification and market‑driven housing policy, argue for a large expansion of social housing, strict rent controls and protection of vulnerable tenants against eviction and speculative investors. They are highly critical of police violence, ethnic profiling and repressive security measures. Instead, they want greater investment in social work, youth centres, and poverty alleviation. BIJ1 consistently advocates for a truly inclusive city with a fairer distribution of power and resources.
Bij1 won three seats in the previous municipal elections, but due to internal conflicts, the council members split from the party and formed two new parties. Former member Carla Kabamba founded Partij voor Morgen (Party for Tomorrow), while Nilab Ahmadi and Jazie Veldhuyzen established Vonk (Spark). However, neither party is currently expected to retain a seat in the polls. Bij1 itself also appears to have lost support and is now polling at just one seat.
SP
As its name indicates, the Socialistische Partij (Socialist Party) is a left-wing, socialist party. In Amsterdam, their programme focuses on democratising the economy and taking key services out of the market and back into public hands. The party’s programme centres on three main priorities. First, it seeks to give the municipality greater control over the housing market, enabling it to purchase and rent out affordable housing to reduce the real estate market’s influence and address the housing shortage. Secondly, it aims to significantly expand urban green spaces by investing in public allotment gardens and urban forests to tackle both climate change and social inequality. Finally, the programme seeks to strengthen local democracy by safeguarding the right to protest and increasing residents’ participation in decision-making through instruments such as referenda and local initiatives. The SP holds two seats on the city council, as shown in current and recent polls.
DENK
DENK (‘Think’) is a left‑leaning party with a strong focus on anti‑discrimination, equal opportunities and the rights of minorities and migrants. In Amsterdam, they focus on combating racism and ethnic profiling, improving representation in local government and public services, and investing in neighbourhoods with lower socioeconomic status, such as Nieuw-West and Noord. On socio‑economic issues, they tend to side with the left (affordable housing, accessible healthcare and education), while having more socially conservative attitudes. In Amsterdam, their objectives are expressed in the three pillars of inclusivity, justice, and liveability. They currently hold two seats and are poised to continue holding them.
CDA
The Christen-Democratisch Appèl (Christian-Democratic Appeal) is a centrist Christian‑democratic party that emphasises community, social responsibility, and a balance between the market and government. It focuses on a livable and affordable city, with priorities such as tackling the housing crisis through active land policy, improving public space and mobility, expanding public transport while reducing car use within the boundaries of the A10 highway, and investing in green streets, parks and biodiversity. The party links economic strength with sustainability and social cohesion. They emphasise tackling poverty and debt, humane shelter for homeless people, and accessible care and education close to home. CDA wants a smaller, more service‑oriented municipality that welcomes international residents as fellow Amsterdammers who participate locally and learn Dutch. Currently, the party holds one seat on the city council, with polls predicting they will retain it.
Volt
Volt is a pan-European, progressive party with a strong pro-EU stance and a focus on climate action, digitalisation, and civil rights. Their programme puts housing first, advocating for smarter use of space, easier house‑sharing, and innovative ideas such as a floating student campus on the IJ. Additionally, they want to enhance local democracy, improve the city’s safety and mobility, and invest in the arts, culture and nightlife. They explicitly want to replicate proven solutions from cities like Copenhagen, Barcelona, and Vienna, rather than reinventing the wheel. Compared with parties such as GL and PvdA, they oppose prioritising housing allocation for people who have lived in Amsterdam for at least four years. Instead, they want to focus on which residents a neighbourhood needs, such as care workers or police officers, and on vulnerable groups in society. Volt holds two seats currently and is expected to maintain them, according to polls.
FvD
Forum voor Democratie (Forum for Democracy) is a right‑wing extremist party that focuses on democratic reform and local civilian autonomy. The party seeks to reduce the political influence of the Amsterdam metropolitan region and to roll back various government measures. It combines a tough-on-crime stance with a strong emphasis on privacy rights, opposing camera surveillance where it is not explicitly necessary for safety. The party has been criticised for fielding candidates with backgrounds in right‑wing extremist movements. The FvD currently holds one seat on the city council, and polls at one.
Ja21
JA21 (Yes21) is more moderate than FvD but still positioned on the far right. The party largely shares the VVD’s priorities, such as car accessibility, stricter law and order policies, and fewer regulations for developers, but pushes each of these further. JA21 is more resistant to left‑wing plans like making large parts of the city car‑free, and more sceptical of ambitious local climate policies. It places greater emphasis on addressing nuisance related to nightlife and coffeeshops. They oppose giving asylum seekers priority in access to social housing and instead stress affordability for first‑time buyers and middle‑income households. They are willing to make some cultural compromises to achieve these goals in housing facilities. For example, they propose deconstructing the Stopera complex (National Opera and Ballet) to build a new neighbourhood. JA21 currently holds two seats and is polling at three.
Useful links
Want to find out more about the municipal elections and decide for yourself who you will support? If so, check out the links below!
The Herring 