Seven pct. of city councillors want to quit on anti-asylum violence

Seven percent of city councilors in the Netherlands are considering resignation due to the violence and aggression they have to deal with in the debate about asylum centers, according to a survey done by the Dutch Association of Councilors among its members, news wire ANP reports.

About 2,600 councilors, almost a third of them, took part in the survey. Twelve percent indicated that the doubt whether they will agree to a new term in office after the election.

Over the past months a large number of mayors, aldermen and city councilors received threats in the asylum debate, including in Rijssen-Holten, Bernheze regarding a planned asylum center in Heesch, Geldermalsen where both the mayor and councilors received threats and ‘sHertogenbosch.

According to the survey, most councilors are dealing with threats made via social media, but some also received threats face to face or by phone, email or post.

The councilors indicated that threats that affect their personal lives are the limit. "If there are threats to me, I can handle that, but when it affects my home situation (wife and children) I will resign immediately", one councilor said.